Today, 26 January, marks the anniversary of the liberation of Kobani from ISIS occupation in 2015—a defining moment not only for the people of Rojava Kurdistan, but for the global struggle against terrorism. Kobani became a symbol of resistance, dignity, and collective sacrifice, as local Kurdish forces, backed by the international coalition, halted and reversed one of the most brutal advances of ISIS.

Eleven years later, that same city now faces a new and deeply alarming threat.

Kobani is once again under siege.

A City in Humanitarian Emergency

Over recent weeks, Kobani has been subjected to a de facto blockade marked by the cutoff of water and electricity, severe shortages of food and medicine, and mounting fears of escalating violence against civilians. According to credible media reports, Syrian government forces, in coordination with Islamist armed groups, have intensified military pressure on Kurdish-led forces (SDF), placing Kobani and other cities in Rojava under effective siege—despite parallel, fragile efforts toward ceasefire and dialogue.

The consequences for civilians are immediate and severe. The deliberate disruption of essential services and obstruction of supply routes have transformed daily life into a struggle for survival. Hospitals, households, and humanitarian organizations are operating under emergency conditions, while aid convoys face serious access constraints.

This situation amounts to more than a military tactic—it represents a form of collective punishment against a civilian population.

Violations of International Humanitarian Law

International humanitarian law is unequivocal: civilians must be protected during armed conflict, and starvation or deprivation of essential services may not be used as a method of warfare. The targeting or manipulation of water, electricity, and basic supplies directly contradicts these core principles.

What is unfolding in Kobani is therefore not only a humanitarian crisis, but a legal and moral challenge to the international community. Silence or inaction risks normalizing practices that undermine the very foundations of civilian protection in conflict zones.

Responsibility to Protect: From Principle to Obligation

In the 2005 UN World Summit Outcome Document, the international community affirmed the doctrine of Responsibility to Protect (R2P), recognizing that states bear the primary responsibility to shield populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. When states are unwilling or unable to do so, the responsibility shifts to the international community to act—first through diplomatic and humanitarian means, and, if necessary, through collective action consistent with the UN Charter.

In the case of Kobani and Rojava, R2P is not an abstract moral concept. It is a clear political and legal obligation to prevent a foreseeable humanitarian catastrophe and to ensure uninterrupted access to water, electricity, food, medicine, and human security.

Kobani’s Historical Role—and Today’s Moral Debt

Between 2014 and 2016, Kurdish forces and local communities stood on the front lines against ISIS, absorbing enormous human costs to prevent the spread of terrorism far beyond the region. Kobani’s resistance contributed directly to regional and international security.

The world benefited from that sacrifice.

Today, the same international actors cannot turn away as Kobani faces systematic pressure, deprivation, and renewed existential threat. To do so would not only betray a city, but also undermine the credibility of global commitments to human rights and humanitarian norms.

What Must Be Done—Now

JinaMedia calls on the European Union, European governments, the United States, the United Nations, and all influential international actors to take immediate and concrete action:

• Establish and guarantee humanitarian corridors, in coordination with UN OCHA, the ICRC, and humanitarian organizations, to ensure sustained delivery of food, medicine, fuel, and essential supplies.
• Restore water, electricity, and vital services without delay, and implement monitoring mechanisms to prevent their use as tools of coercion.
• Deploy an international monitoring mission to oversee ceasefire compliance, document violations, and protect civilian infrastructure such as hospitals, schools, and water systems.
• Apply targeted diplomatic and legal pressure, including sanctions, travel restrictions, and judicial measures against those responsible for serious violations.
• Support a sustainable political solution that guarantees the political, cultural, and civil rights of local populations and provides mechanisms to prevent renewed cycles of violence.
• Activate an emergency humanitarian plan, reinforcing medical supplies, infant nutrition, winter aid, fuel reserves, and mobile healthcare facilities.

A Moment of Choice

Kobani is not merely a city. It is a symbol—of resistance to terrorism and of the values the international community claims to uphold.

If the siege of Kobani, the deliberate deprivation of essential services, and the endangerment of civilians are met with silence today, the cost tomorrow will be far higher—not only for the Kurdish people, but for regional stability and international security as a whole.

The global community must act now—guided by international law, the Responsibility to Protect, and basic humanitarian principles—to protect civilians, ensure aid reaches those in need, and prevent yet another avoidable human tragedy in Kobani and Rojava Kurdistan.