It was announced today, Sunday (July 12, 2026), that US Republican Senator for South Carolina, Lindsey Graham, has passed away at the age of 71, ending a political and military career spanning decades. During this time, he stood out as one of the most supportive members of the US Senate for the Kurdish people, and a defender of strengthening the partnership between the United States and Kurdish forces in the war against ISIS.
An official statement issued by Graham’s office in Washington explained that the Senator passed away on Saturday evening, July 11, following a “sudden and emergency” health ailment. The statement read: “On the evening of Saturday, July 11, US Senator Lindsey Graham passed away following a sudden and emergency health ailment.”
A Political and Military Career
Lindsey Graham was born in 1955 in the town of Central, South Carolina, where he grew up in a family where his parents ran a restaurant and a pool hall. According to his official website, he was the first member of his family to earn a college degree.
He received a bachelor’s degree in 1977 from the University of South Carolina in Columbia, and a Juris Doctor (JD) degree in 1981 from the University of South Carolina School of Law.
In 1982, he joined the US Air Force Reserve, utilizing his expertise in military law during US military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, before retiring in June 2015 at the rank of Colonel after 33 years of military service.
Politically, he was elected as a member of the US House of Representatives in 1994, becoming the first Republican candidate to win South Carolina’s Third Congressional District since 1877. He was then elected to the Senate in 2002 and re-elected in 2008, 2014, and 2020.
Prominent Stances in Support of the Kurdish People
In recent years, Graham’s name became associated with repeated stances in support of the Kurds, especially in Syria. He was one of the most prominent Republican voices calling for the continuation of US support for Kurdish forces, warning of the consequences of abandoning them.
In October 2019, he criticized the repercussions of the Turkish offensive that ended with the occupation of the city of Serê Kaniyê (Ras al-Ayn) in western Kurdistan (Rojava), following the Donald Trump administration’s decision to withdraw US troops from Syria.
In July 2022, he called for the establishment of buffer zones between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkey, considering that the most viable solution lay in addressing Turkish security concerns in tandem with developing economic relations between Turkey and the inhabitants of northeastern Syria (Rojava).
He also continued his legislative actions regarding this matter. In December 2024, along with Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, he introduced the “Countering Turkish Aggression Act of 2024,” aiming to push the parties toward a ceasefire by threatening to impose sanctions, while emphasizing the need to work diplomatically with Turkey to facilitate a sustainable ceasefire and establish a demilitarized zone between Turkey and Syria.
The two senators said in a joint statement: “These sanctions are designed to prevent further Turkish or Turkish-backed attacks on the Syrian Democratic Forces, which threaten the resurgence of ISIS (the Islamic State), thereby endangering the national security of the United States and the rest of the world.”
“Abandoning the Kurds is a Disaster”
With rising tensions in northeastern Syria early this year, Graham returned to renew his support for the Kurds.
On January 27, 2026, he expressed his deep concern over the deteriorating situation in Syria, warning that the Kurds face growing threats from the new Syrian government allied with Turkey.
In a statement published on the “X” platform, he said: “Abandoning the Kurds would be a disaster for the reputation and national security interests of the United States,” reminding that the Kurds were Washington’s main ally in eliminating what he described as the ISIS “caliphate.”
In the same context, he announced his intention to introduce the “Save the Kurds Act,” which aims to impose “harsh and crippling” sanctions on any government or entity participating in hostile actions against the Kurds.
Two days later, on January 29, 2026, he announced alongside Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal the official introduction of the bill to the Senate, in response to repeated attacks launched by Syrian government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
Watching the deteriorating situation in Syria with great concern. The Kurds are under threat from the new Syrian government that is aligned with Turkey.
It would be a disaster for America’s reputation and national security interests to abandon the Kurds, who were the chief ally…
Graham’s stances received wide appreciation in the Kurdistan Region. On February 17, 2026, the Governor of Erbil, Omed Khoshnaw, announced the governorate’s approval of a request submitted by a number of writers, intellectuals, and artists to erect a statue of the US Senator in the city, in appreciation of his supportive stances for the Kurds.
Nechirvan Barzani: His Support for Kurdistan Will Be Remembered
Following the announcement of his death, the President of the Kurdistan Region, Nechirvan Barzani, expressed his sadness over Graham’s passing, stressing that his stances toward Kurdistan will always remain appreciated.
Barzani wrote in a post on his account on the “X” platform: “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham, a dear friend of the people of Kurdistan.”
He added: “His steadfast defense and support for Kurdistan will always be remembered with gratitude. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, and colleagues.”
With the departure of Lindsey Graham, the US political arena loses one of the most prominent Republican voices that adopted, over many years, positions supporting the Kurdish people, defended the continuation of the US partnership with Kurdish forces, and sought through bills and political initiatives to strengthen their protection. This cemented his status among many Kurdish circles as one of the most prominent friends of Kurdistan within the US Congress.
Note: This text is translated from the original Arabic version… Read the Arabic version:Click here
