By Staff, Agencies

Kurdish cities across Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, particularly Erbil and Sulaymaniyah, have seen large demonstrations this week following a “general mobilization” call by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in response to military operations led by Damascus in northeastern Syria.

In Erbil, protesters gathered outside the United Nations building and near the US consulate close to the Harir base, urging continued international backing for the SDF and warning against what they described as abandonment of Kurdish forces.

Demonstrators also protested outside the Turkish consulate, where the Turkish flag was symbolically lowered to express opposition to Ankara’s support for Syrian government operations against the SDF.

Organizers portrayed the military moves not only as security actions but as part of a broader nationalist campaign aimed at weakening Kurdish presence and influence in Syria. Demonstrators stressed solidarity with Kurdish fighters and framed the issue as a matter of collective Kurdish rights and security.

Separately, reports indicated that Turkish forces opened fire on Kurdish demonstrators attempting to cross into Syria in solidarity with the SDF, with footage circulating online showing groups trying to enter Syrian territory from Turkiye.

Solidarity protests also took place in Beirut, where members of the Kurdish community rallied against attacks on Kurds in Syria. Demonstrators carried banners supporting the SDF and chanted slogans such as “We are all SDF” and “Long live the Rojava resistance,” referring to Syria’s eastern al-Jazira region.