Surkel Sheikh

Tel Tamr – The Rojava Revolution, which began on 19 July 2012, has over more than 13 years achieved historic accomplishments that have drawn the world’s attention and laid down its foundations.

Kholikhan Sofi, one of the pioneering women who witnessed the revolution in Rojava, told our agency that she considers the democratic system established there a genuine alternative to the traditional nation-state system.

“A people who endured for 13 years with only their fighters deserve respect”

Kholikhan Sofi said that although the city of Tel Tamr is small in size, it is great in the heroism and resilience written about it.

“Tel Tamr is the gateway to the Jazira Canton in Rojava and occupies a strategic position on the map. For 13 years, this city has been at the heart of battles, and the democratic system established here has faced violent attacks. The people of Tel Tamr deserve to live in freedom; everyone—from children to the elderly—participated in its defense in a state of general mobilization. A people who have endured with only their own fighters deserve respect and appreciation.”

“Tel Tamr is a model for the success of the Democratic Nation project”

Sofi explained that Tel Tamr represents an example of the success of the Democratic Nation project, noting that the fall of the Baath regime brought back the plan that had been set at the time.

“The goal after the collapse of the Baath system was to break internal and sectarian barriers between Kurds, Arabs, and Assyrians. Despite the attacks, the city’s residents came together and formed the Social Peace Council with the participation of the three components.”

Regarding the purpose of establishing the council, she added:

“The aim was to protect the city and preserve social values through the unity of its components. In defending this land, Kurdish fighters were martyred alongside Arabs and Assyrians, and they were all buried in the same cemetery. Defending Tel Tamr is a defense of all Rojava—where even a loaf of bread became a symbol of protecting the land.”

She pointed out that attacks on Tel Tamr have never stopped since the beginning of the revolution:

“At first the Free Syrian Army attacked it, then Jabhat al-Nusra, and in 2015 ISIS launched a large and difficult assault. More than 23 Assyrian villages were destroyed, women were displaced, and churches were bombed. We now live in a city where the sound of church bells and the call of the imam in the mosque are no longer heard together. Yet the attacks continued, and Tel Tamr and its villages became targets of Turkish occupation assaults and its drones.”

The conspiracy that began 27 years ago in Imrali is still ongoing

Kholikhan Sofi stated that the conspiracy that began on 15 February 1999 is still continuing today:

“The conspiracy began with the arrest of Leader Apo and directly targeted Rojava. The same forces that were guarantors in Rojava until yesterday are the ones that formed the conspiracy against our leader. The aim was to break the will of peoples living freely on their land. Therefore, the attacks targeted the Democratic Nation project because it threatened the dominance of hegemonic powers and gave society the possibility to live in peace, freedom, and equality. Despite all its difficulties, this conspiracy will collapse in the face of our national unity.”

“The plans of the conspiring powers have failed”

She explained that those powers tried to eliminate Rojava, but the developments of 2026 proved the opposite:

“In Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor, calls were made to the Syrian Democratic Forces and the Women’s Protection Units. Our forces responded and liberated women and the people from ISIS. The SDF fulfilled its role, but the international coalition changed its policies on the ground, creating new transformations. From the beginning we were the vanguard of the revolution in Rojava, and today we defend it. Our forces are determined to protect Rojava. The plan of the conspiring powers was bigger than merely withdrawing from Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor; the overall goal was to strike Rojava and dismantle the self-administration system.”

“The role of the Women’s Protection Units must not be marginalized”

Regarding the agreement between the Syrian Democratic Forces and the interim government, she said:

“We do not oppose any decision taken in the path of integration, but we have constitutional rights, and the sacrifices of 14 years of struggle must not be erased or marginalized. Women were at the forefront of the resistance. If women’s rights are not guaranteed in the constitution, it will not be acceptable. The Women’s Protection Units should not be abolished; their rights must be enshrined in the constitution as a women’s force with its own status. Those who made sacrifices in the revolution have the right to be decision-makers in the future of the region.”

In conclusion, Kholikhan Sofi made an appeal:

“We want women’s rights to be included in the Syrian constitution and guaranteed by law. Our rights and our will must be recognized in the basic constitution.”