The German city of Bonn witnessed a large demonstration on Saturday (31 January 2026) in support of Rojava Kurdistan, during which a message from Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani was delivered, calling for adherence to the ceasefire and reliance on dialogue.
In remarks delivered on his behalf, Barzani said that the Kurdish people in Rojava have endured a “long struggle,” pointing to the “pain, imprisonment, exile, and displacement” they have suffered, before later facing the threat of the so-called Islamic State (ISIS). He added: “But the young men and women of our people, through their courage, blood, and sacrifices, succeeded in defeating ISIS and became protectors of humanity.”
He noted that the people of Kurdistan in Rojava are “now facing a new threat and complex and dangerous circumstances,” stressing that supporting them is “a national and collective duty for every Kurdistani individual.” Addressing the demonstrators, he emphasized that “the voice of each and every one of you has an impact on the morale and resilience of the Kurdish people in Kurdistan, especially in Rojava Kurdistan, and it is also a message to the peoples of the world to support legitimate demands and rights.”
Barzani called on the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to “continue adhering to the ceasefire between them” and to rely on “dialogue and mutual understanding to resolve problems and disputes,” warning against turning political differences into “a cause for the outbreak of conflicts and ethnic tensions between Kurds and Arabs.”
For the sake of peace and stability, he further stressed the need to “put an end to the suffering of the Kurdish people and attempts to assimilate them,” and to “guarantee the political, civil, and national rights of the Kurdish people in Syria’s future constitution.”
These remarks come weeks after military confrontations, following which the SDF and the Syrian authorities led by Ahmed al-Sharaa announced that they had reached a “comprehensive agreement” to halt hostilities, including a gradual integration of forces and institutions. The U.S. outlet Al-Monitor reported that Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani played a “decisive and central” role in bridging differences—an assessment echoed by journalist and analyst Amberin Zaman, who said the signing of the agreement deserved “great praise” for Nechirvan Barzani, Mazloum Abdi, and Senator Lindsey Graham.
Zaman’s report also revealed that Nechirvan Barzani contacted Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, who sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump urging action to prevent the “genocide” of the Kurdish people. Trump reportedly replied: “It’s done. Donald.”
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