Tel Tamer — The scene of a YPJ fighter’s braid being cut by jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham sparked widespread outrage, prompting thousands of women across Kurdistan to cut their own braids, which are considered a symbol of freedom.

Women in the city of Tel Tamer in the Jazira Canton showed similar reactions. Neslikhan Hussein expressed her anger upon seeing the image of a Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militant holding the braid of a YPJ fighter, transforming her anger into strength and determination. She stated:

“The goal of cutting the fighter’s hair is to spread fear and anxiety among women and to distance them from the path of freedom. We are proud of that YPJ fighter. Our hair will become a weapon to eliminate extremist ideology.”

She affirmed that armed groups and mercenaries of the Turkish occupation fear the will, freedom, identity, and history of women. Raising the slogan “Jin Jiyan Azadî” (Woman, Life, Freedom), she removed her headscarf and took up her weapon, stressing:

“If they killed one person yesterday, today they kill thousands.”

She emphasized that “the jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham will not be able to intimidate women or break their will to struggle and resist by throwing the bodies of fighters from buildings or cutting their braids. Women will confront these extremist groups everywhere, and they will not be able to break our strength.”

On the other hand, Samir Dawoud stood beside his weapon while braiding the hair of his daughter, Helen, saying:

“We stand with the male and female fighters who fought the jihadists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham until the end and were martyred. We and our children will sacrifice for Rojava.”

He added:

“Yesterday, the braids of our fighters were cut; today, we braid the hair of our daughters to affirm that we are walking in the footsteps of our martyrs and that we will never abandon our strength.