Latest news with #KurdishNewYear
Rudaw Net
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Kurdish fighters burn weapons, signal end to armed struggle against Turkey
Also in Kurdistan Masoud Barzani indicates willing to visit Abdullah Ocalan Parents of fighters embrace peace as PKK burns weapons PKK disarmament was 'very emotional,' says DEM Party MP PUK leader Talabani says PKK disarmament is 'historic step' A+ A- DUKAN, Kurdistan Region - In a striking and symbolic gesture, fighters from the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) set their weapons ablaze on Friday, signalling an end to more than four decades of armed struggle for Kurdish rights in Turkey. The disarmament, marked by a bonfire reminiscent of Newroz - the Kurdish New Year once banned in Turkey - was held near a cave in Kurdistan Region's rugged mountains in northern Iraq, the same historic site where Kurdish intellectuals printed an outlawed newspaper more than a century ago. As the flames consumed the rifles, many in attendance viewed it not just as a tactical move, but as the possible turning point in a long and costly war. The fighters' disarmament came in response to a rare video message from their jailed leader, Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999. In his statement, Ocalan - long a symbol of the Kurdish nationalist cause - declared that the time for armed struggle had passed, citing new efforts by Turkey to acknowledge Kurdish identity and culture. 'The PKK, for the sake of the people, says we want peace, we want tranquility,' said Shame Shingal, a mother whose daughter remains among the ranks of the PKK. 'And this has filled us with joy.' The ceremony, attended by government officials and lawmakers from Turkey, Iraq, and the autonomous Kurdistan Region, was held under heavy security, with helicopters circling overhead. Among those present was Mohammed Penjwini, a prominent Kurdish intellectual and longtime friend of Ocalan. He voiced cautious optimism, noting that previous peace efforts had failed due to interference by what he called the 'Deep State' - a reference to shadowy nationalist elements within Turkey's bureaucracy and military. 'The hope today is that this process - unlike the previous one, which took four or five years and was ultimately derailed - will succeed,' Penjwini said. 'Because the leader of the Deep State, Mr. [Devlet] Bahceli, has embraced it. That is the only hope for its success.' Founded in 1978, the PKK is a secular, militant group that blends Marxist and Kurdish nationalist ideologies. It has waged a long and bloody insurgency against the Turkish state, a conflict that has claimed more than 40,000 lives, most of them Kurdish. Turkey, a NATO member, the US and European Union have designated the PKK as a terrorist organization. The group's decision to relinquish its arms - even if only symbolically for now - has been met with measured approval from analysts, peace advocates and even Turkish government officials. The fighters returned to their mountainous hideouts unarmed, a move seen by some as a genuine step toward lasting peace. Still, skepticism remains. Much will depend on how Turkish authorities respond in the weeks and months ahead, and whether a roadmap can be forged to eventually bring the fighters down from the mountains for good.
Shafaq News
04-04-2025
- Climate
- Shafaq News
Spring gatherings: Duhok celebrates Nowruz
Shafaq News/ On Friday, thousands of residents gathered in Duhok to celebrate Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year, after the holiday was postponed due to its overlap with Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr. Families pitched tents in valleys and mountain areas, joining in traditional dancing, music, and meals. Large crowds were reported across the province as locals embraced the spring weather. 'We couldn't celebrate Nowruz at the usual time because of Ramadan and Eid,' said Salim Saeed, a resident of Al-Amediya. 'Today, we came to enjoy nature, dance, and eat our favorite Kurdish dishes,' he said Some visitors voiced concern over the dry season. 'There's been very little rainfall,' said Abdullah Ali, adding, 'We haven't seen the greenery we're used to. We hope for more rain to revive the landscape.' Despite the conditions, the mood remained festive. 'We danced to our favorite Kurdish songs in traditional clothes,' said Laveen Jamal. 'It's been a joyful day.'
Rudaw Net
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Rojava officials, Armenian delegation discuss Syria challenges
Also in Syria Syria's interim constitution risks 'authoritarian' rule: HRW Germany decries Syrian civilian deaths in suspected Israeli shelling Rojava Asayish captures over 2.7 million Captagon in Qamishli Qatar, Saudi Arabia condemn Israeli shelling in southern Syria A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Armenian Social Council and the Armenian Women's Union in the northeastern Syria (Rojava) met with the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES) on Wednesday to extend their congratulations for the Kurdish New Year (Newroz) and discuss the challenges facing Syria and the region. The Rojava-based groups congratulated the DAANES's executive council on the occasion of the Kurdish New Year, celebrated worldwide by Kurdish communities between March 21 and 23, and International Women's Day marked on March 8. The Armenian delegations were received by Evin Swed, the co-chair of DAANES's executive council and her deputies Tarfah Osman and Hamdan al-Abed. They discussed 'the challenges facing Syria and the region, particularly the recent crimes committed in the coastal areas of Syria against members of the Alawite sect,' according to a statement by the DAANES. Armed confrontations erupted in the Alawite-majority coastal areas of western Syria in early March, when loyalists of ousted Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad launched attacks on security forces affiliated with the new leadership in Damascus. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, around 1,500 people - mostly Alawite civilians – were killed in the violence, with most of the casualties resulting from attacks by government or government-affiliated forces. The killings drew widespread international condemnation. The Armenian delegations and DAANES emphasized on Wednesday 'the necessity of holding the perpetrators' behind the human rights violations against the Alawites 'accountable and protecting the rights of all sects and religions' in Syria, added the statement. The two sides also touched on the newly-passed constitutional declaration, affirming that 'it does not fulfill the aspirations of the Syrian people or the true identity of Syria, particularly the hopes and ambitions of women.' They urged redrafting the interim constitution 'with the participation of all segments of the Syrian society, including women, to achieve justice and ensure the rights of all.' In mid-March, Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa signed a 53-article constitutional declaration that centers on Islamic jurisprudence, mandates that the president must be Muslim, and sets a five-year transitional period. It also maintains Syria's official name as the Syrian "Arab" Republic. The interim constitution additionally grants Sharaa exclusive executive power, the authority to appoint one-third of the legislature, and the ability to appoint judges to the constitutional court, which is the body that can hold him accountable. The constitutional declaration has in recent weeks come under fire from Syria's Kurdish, Christian and Druze communities over its exclusion of ethnic and religious communities in Syria. Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday warned that the constitutional declaration consolidates power in the hands of the president and risks entrenching 'authoritarian control.' The global human rights monitor urged the new leadership in Damascus to revise the declaration to better safeguard human rights. The Armenian delegation and DAANES on Wednesday urged amending the interim constitution to ensure inclusivity, 'without excluding or marginalizing any group.' They further stressed the importance of strengthening dialogue among Syrians 'to resolve all outstanding issues,' involving all components of the Syrian people, especially women.
Rudaw Net
24-03-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Hundreds of thousands of Kurds celebrate Newroz in Istanbul
Also in Turkey Russia extradites former HDP representative to Turkey CHP says nearly 15 million voted for ex-mayor Imamoglu as presidential candidate Istanbul mayor 'temporarily' suspended on corruption charges: Turkish interior ministry Istanbul court arrests Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - This year's Newroz celebrations in Istanbul were among the largest in recent history, with hundreds of thousands gathering at Yenikapi Square to mark the Kurdish New Year. The celebration, held on Sunday, was organized by the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) and several other organizations. Speaking to Rudaw, the co-chair of the DEM Party, Tuncer Bakirhan, hoped the celebration would bring about 'peace, dignity, and freedom." A Kurdish resident in Turkey, Celal Duman, said, "I salute Kurdistan and congratulate our people on Newroz. Kurds from all four parts of Kurdistan [in Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran] are here in Istanbul.' Another attendees, Deniz, emphasized the Kurds' desire for peace, stating, "We want peace to prevail." At the event, an old message from Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, was played on a large screen. Many attendees chanted the slogan "Long live Leader Apo," referring to Ocalan, while holding up posters of him. Ocalan in late February issued a landmark message urging the PKK to disarm and disband as an initiative to propel peace talks with Turkey, and end the four-decade-long conflict between the two sides that has claimed the lives of some 40,000 people. Speaking to Rudaw, Kurdish politician Gultan Kisanak called for the peaceful resolution of the Kurdish issue, stating, "I hope that the will of the Kurds, which emerges in Newroz, is respected and the Kurdish issue is resolved in peaceful and democratic ways." Meanwhile, DEM Party MP, George Aslan, who is Assyrian, extended his congratulations to the Kurdish people in both Turkey and Syria during the event. "Here from Istanbul, I congratulate the Kurdish people on Newroz" he said. Istanbul is home to the largest Kurdish population in Turkey, with estimates suggesting between two and three million Kurds live in the city. The celebration saw the participation of several prominent political figures who shared their views on the occasion and the Kurdish cause. Newroz, which marks the first day of spring, is celebrated by millions of Kurds in the Kurdistan Region and Kurdish regions in Turkey, Iran, and Syria. The Kurdish diaspora in the West also celebrate Newroz. On Newroz eve, bonfires are traditionally lit, often on mountain or hill tops. In the days that follow, Kurds often go on picnics and light bonfires with their families and loved ones to mark the occasion which symbolizes freedom and resistance against tyranny.
Shafaq News
22-03-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Post-Regime Nowruz: Syrian Kurds celebrate in unprecedented festivities
Shafaq News/ Tens of thousands of Syrian Kurds gathered across northeastern Syria on Friday to celebrate Nowruz, the Kurdish New Year, marking the first large-scale festivities since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. Kurdish cities witnessed unprecedented festivities as crowds lit the Nowruz fire—a symbolic act being openly performed for the first time since the regime's collapse late last year. The celebrations extended beyond Kurdish-majority regions such as Al-Jazira, Kobani, and Afrin, reaching Damascus, Aleppo, and even parts of Syria's coastal areas. Major gatherings also took place in Qamishli, Hasakah, and Derik, where thousands formed circles around the Nowruz fire, dancing to traditional Kurdish music. Locals in Sweida and coastal cities also ignited Nowruz flames, standing with the Kurds in celebration. For many revelers, this Nowruz carried a profound sense of change. 'After years of restrictions under Assad's regime, we are witnessing mass participation for the first time. This Nowruz represents hope for a new Syria,' said Kawa Mahmoud, a festivalgoer in Qamishli's countryside. Mahmoud noted that Syrian Kurds are eager to turn the page on decades of Baathist rule and move toward greater freedoms. He added that recent political agreements between Kurdish factions and an evolving relationship between the Syrian Democratic Forces and Damascus have fueled optimism. Rania Khalil, who fled Afrin, expressed hope that this year's celebrations would mark the start of a return for those forced from their lands. 'After years of displacement and hardship, we just want to go back and live in peace,' she said. She also highlighted the cultural depth of Nowruz, noting that while the celebrations share common traditions across Kurdistan, each region has its own distinct customs. 'For us, the joy of Nowruz is incomplete without celebrating it in Afrin,' she told Shafaq News.
