A disturbing video circulating online this week shows a militant affiliated with the Damascus government displaying a braid of hair said to belong to a dead female Kurdish fighter, sparking international outrage and symbolic protests among Kurdish women. The footage emerged amid ongoing conflict between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and forces loyal to Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
In the video, a man identified as part of a Damascus-aligned armed group holds up what he claims is the braid of a fallen Kurdish soldier, reportedly from the Women’s Protection Units (YPJ), and states that he found her already dead. The video has caused a wave of anger and mourning across Kurdish communities.
Kurdish women across Syria and around the world responded with a coordinated protest by braiding their hair. Protesters gathered in cities such as Amuda, waving the Kurdish flag and replicating the hairstyle shown in the video, as a form of defiance and remembrance.
The conflict follows the recent signing of a controversial agreement between the SDF and the Sharaa regime. The agreement severely reduced Kurdish autonomy, transferred control of key oil fields, and mandated that the SDF disarm in exchange for cultural concessions such as Kurdish language education. Violent incidents escalated shortly after the deal was reached.
Kurdish officials have reported war crimes including beheadings, sexual violence, and mass executions carried out by forces aligned with the Sharaa regime. In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, Kurdish political leaders accused regime-backed militias of targeting civilians and torturing captured soldiers. The letter also cited videos posted online that appear to show desecration of corpses and anti-Kurdish religious chants.
The ongoing conflict has also led to chaos at Islamic State detention centers, with reports of up to 200 terrorists escaping from prisons attacked by regime-backed jihadists. Kurdish forces have been blamed by Damascus for the escapes, while Kurdish officials maintain they were overwhelmed during the assaults.
In an unusual statement, Syria’s state media acknowledged violations by government troops, citing unspecified disciplinary breaches during military operations. The government pledged legal action against offenders, without specifying the nature of the offenses.
Despite an announced ceasefire, Kurdish leaders insist that regime forces continue to attack towns in the northeast. Protests over the video and the broader treatment of Kurdish fighters highlight growing fears of widespread atrocities as the Sharaa government seeks to consolidate control over the remaining autonomous Kurdish regions.
