Hevi Salah

Sulaymaniyah —Hair is not merely a symbol of beauty for Kurdish women; it is also a symbol of identity and freedom throughout the history of women’s struggle. Each time extremists attempt to break women’s will by humiliating and harming them, women only grow stronger and more courageous.

The cutting of female fighters’ hair by jihadist of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is an assault on all women and a deliberate attempt to intimidate them. Yet, contrary to what the jihadists  intended, this act did not lead to fear—it instead unified women’s ranks.

In Rojava, women across cities and towns publicly expressed their support by cutting their hair and declaring with one voice:

“Cutting the braid of one fighter is an attack on all of us, and our response is more braids and more strength.”

Women everywhere affirmed that this action demonstrates that women are not merely victims, but a fundamental force in the struggle and in defending society. For them, the scars borne by Kurdish women have become symbols of resistance—an answer to humiliation and a message to anyone who seeks to silence women’s voices through violence.

This scene captures some women in the Kurdistan Region braiding their hair not only for beauty, but as a clear message to those who attack women and Kurdish female fighters