News Center _Kongra Star celebrates its anniversary on January 15 each year. In 2026, it marks the twenty-first anniversary of its founding in 2005 under the name “Star Union,” with the goal of building a free, democratic society and safeguarding women’s rights, while emphasizing struggle and the promotion of the values of freedom.

On Thursday, January 15, Kongra Star released a statement on the occasion of its 21st anniversary, stating:
“We first extend our warmest congratulations to Leader Abdullah Öcalan, to all the martyrs who struggled for a dignified life on this land and attained immortality, and to all our people in the North and East Syria region, especially women. Over the past fourteen years, many of our female comrades and fighters, such as comrades Rihan, Yusra, Jiyan, and the martyr Deniz, have been martyred. We also respectfully commemorate all the martyrs of Aleppo.”

The statement noted that reflecting on the past twenty-one years reveals an honorable struggle led by steadfast women, marked by unprecedented resistance. At the same time, women were subjected to brutal attacks by the authorities. Despite the siege and pressure imposed by jihadist regimes, women on this land succeeded in achieving significant gains. In earlier periods, the repression of the Baath regime had reached a level that forced women to carry out their activities and work in secrecy.

The statement pointed out:
“In 2005, hundreds of women were arrested, and some were even killed during the founding of the conference. Today, we continue on the foundations laid in that era. The work carried out under the weight of the regime, and the hardships and challenges we faced in establishing this organization, are what brought us to where we are today. Just as we fought nationalism then, today we fight sectarianism and sexism on the same principles upon which we were founded.”

The statement affirmed that Kongra Star’s struggle stems from the vision of Leader Abdullah Öcalan, based on building a democratic society. “Today, the conference continues to confront groups such as ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra, as well as what is known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” it said, stressing that Kongra Star has waged unprecedented resistance against the Turkish state, reaching its peak during what it described as Erdoğan’s fascism over the past fourteen years.

The statement added that, in light of attacks by various powers and states and the psychological warfare waged against the region, Kongra Star works diligently to prevent and confront them. It has placed physical and psychological genocide—especially against children—at the center of its struggle, making concerted efforts to combat these crimes by establishing child protection committees. It has also sought to prevent physical and psychological violence against women through campaigns, seminars, meetings, and training. As part of its policy, the conference has always aimed to address all Syrian women so that they may live together in a democratic country, and valuable efforts have been—and continue to be—made to reach women outside Syria through diplomatic channels.

Kongra Star emphasized that despite facing repeated genocidal attacks, it has consistently sought appropriate solutions. “The physical freedom of Leader Abdullah Öcalan represents the core of our work and a fundamental principle that cannot be abandoned. In this context, and alongside ongoing efforts, the conference works to widely disseminate the ideas and philosophy of Leader Öcalan.”

The statement continued:
“Today, we are witnessing the continuation of horrific massacres on our land. This year in particular, with the rise to power of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham gangs with the support of international states and the Turkish state, attacks against people—especially women—have escalated to an unbearable level of brutality. Children have been strangled before the eyes of the world, and innocents have been dismembered alive. We are called upon to open our eyes to the truth, listen with greater awareness, and express this tragedy more effectively.”

The statement noted that these attacks are being carried out as part of massacres by central capitalist states on physical, psychological, and spiritual levels. “We will not forget what our people in Aleppo were subjected to. Just as we did not remain silent yesterday about what was committed against the people of Suwayda and the coast, we in Kongra Star will not remain silent today about what has been perpetrated against civilians in the city of Aleppo. Rather, we will stand with them in a spirit of solidarity and support.”

Kongra Star concluded its statement by reaffirming its commitment to follow in the footsteps of the martyrs:
“From now on, we will continue our path in accordance with the approach of Leader Abdullah Öcalan and the spirit of the martyrs. Despite the jihadist mentality attempting to impose itself, we will work with all our strength to build a democratic, decentralized Syria. We will double our efforts for the freedom of women and peoples and for the democratic nation, and we will intensify our struggle to realize our leadership’s vision and project—that the twenty-first century be the century of women.”