Our relief teams continue their efforts to secure the basic needs of the forcibly displaced.
Our relief teams continue their efforts to secure the basic needs of those forcibly displaced from Afrin, Ras al-Ayn, and Tell Abyad, in the cities of Qamishli, Hasakah, Derik, and Amuda.
We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who contributes to this effort. Your support makes these humanitarian efforts possible
A humanitarian appeal from the Kurdish Red Crescent
To the relevant authorities and the public:
We are writing to you with deep concern and regret to report the loss of contact with our colleague, Taher Rakan Taher, also known as “Anas Amsha,” since 2:00 PM on January 18, 2026. Our colleague was performing his noble humanitarian duty of saving lives while traveling from Raqqa to Hasakah, as part of relief and humanitarian efforts to assist those affected by the conflict.
We have received alarming reports indicating that civilian convoys and medical personnel are being targeted by armed groups in the area. Based on these reports, we are deeply concerned that our colleague, Taher Rakan Taher, may have been injured or captured by these groups.
Therefore, we urge anyone with information about our colleague, his whereabouts, or who is holding him, to contact us immediately and provide any information that could help locate and secure his release. Targeting medical and humanitarian personnel in conflict zones constitutes a war crime under international law and conventions, and represents a flagrant violation of human rights.
While we hold the Syrian government responsible for protecting medical and humanitarian personnel working in conflict zones, we also hold it fully responsible for the consequences of this incident and for the safety of our colleague, Taher Rakan Taher. We urge the government to take immediate action and all necessary measures to ensure his immediate release and safe return to his family.
In conclusion, we hope for your cooperation and prompt response to this appeal, and we look forward to receiving any information that may help in rescuing our colleague, Taher Rakan Taher, and enabling him to resume his noble humanitarian work.
Five children have died so far due to the siege imposed on Kobani.
Due to the ongoing siege imposed on Kobani, five children (including infants) have tragically passed away so far as a result of the severe drop in temperatures and the acute shortage of heating fuel and essential medical supplies.
The continuation of this siege poses a grave and direct threat to the lives of children, the sick, and the elderly.
We urgently appeal to the international community, as well as humanitarian and human rights organizations, to intervene immediately to break the siege and secure fuel and relief materials before more lives are lost.
We confirm that our staff, relief teams, and aid trucks are in a state of maximum readiness to move immediately and provide medical and relief support to our people in Kobani as soon as the road is secured.
Furthermore, we call upon all international powers and parties to exert urgent pressure to open a safe humanitarian corridor without any further delay.
An appeal from the Kurdish Red Crescent team in Kobani to humanitarian organizations
Appeal from the Kurdish Red Crescent Team in Kobanê to humanitarian organizations and to the United Nations, represented by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Barham Salih:
The city of Kobani and its surrounding countryside have been subjected for days to a brutal military campaign and a suffocating siege imposed by armed factions affiliated with the transitional government in Damascus. Despite the announcement of a ceasefire, the siege continues, and the entry of basic life necessities is still being blocked by these factions.
Water, fuel, and essential food supplies have been cut off from civilians, leading to the displacement of a large number of families into the city. Many of them are forced to sleep outdoors or in their vehicles. Recently, internet and communication services have also been cut off from the city.
The humanitarian situation is catastrophic and brings back painful memories for the people of Kobani of the time when the city was previously besieged by the so-called Islamic State.
We urgently appeal to you to intervene immediately and to fulfill your humanitarian and moral responsibilities toward the city of Kobani and its people
Hundreds of displaced families arrive at Nowruz camp
Hundreds of families forcibly displaced from Sheikh Maqsoud, Tabqa, and Raqqa are arriving at Nowruz camp amid dire humanitarian conditions and a severe shortage of all basic necessities.
The Kurdish Red Crescent continues to provide emergency medical services as the number of arrivals increases daily.
The displaced families, most of whom are women and children, are in urgent need of all forms of humanitarian assistance
A catastrophic humanitarian situation with increasing numbers of displaced people.
The Kurdish Red Crescent continues its emergency response to those displaced from the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, Tabqa, and Raqqa neighborhoods of Qamishli.
Blankets and mattresses are currently being distributed amidst a catastrophic humanitarian situation, with the number of displaced people increasing as the country experiences a severe cold wave, necessitating urgent humanitarian intervention.
A catastrophic humanitarian situation with increasing numbers of displaced people.
The Kurdish Red Crescent continues its emergency response to those displaced from the Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafieh, Tabqa, and Raqqa neighborhoods of Qamishli.
Blankets and mattresses are currently being distributed amidst a catastrophic humanitarian situation, with the number of displaced people increasing as the country experiences a severe cold wave, necessitating urgent humanitarian intervention.
Large displacement in northeastern Syria
Northeast Syria is witnessing a
new wave of forced displacement affecting hundreds of families, including those previously displaced from the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods. These civilians now find themselves once again in dire humanitarian conditions, exposed to the elements, rain, and bitter cold.
Women and children constitute the majority of the displaced, facing a lack of shelter, food, heating, and medical care, which directly threatens their lives. The continuation of these conditions without urgent intervention portends a genuine humanitarian catastrophe.
We emphasize that these repeated violations against civilians necessitate immediate and urgent humanitarian intervention by the United Nations and international humanitarian organizations. We also demand an immediate cessation of attacks on northeastern Syria and respect for the principles of international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians.
The international community’s silence regarding these events exacerbates the suffering of innocent people and places a moral and legal responsibility on the international community to rescue civilians and stop this ongoing humanitarian crisis