Under the title “Stop the Turkish State's War Crimes Against the Kurdish People,” the International Peace Research Association, the War Resisters League, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Occupied Peoples' Forum and the Resistance Studies Initiative wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

The letter, which calls on the new U.S. administration to take action for an immediate end to Turkish attacks in North and East Syria, reads as follows:

“In recent weeks, following the fall of Syrian dictator Bashar Al-Assad, North and East Syria and Rojava have witnessed severe attacks from Turkey. What should have marked the start of a peaceful dialogue and democratic transition has instead become a battleground for foreign interests, threatening the region’s stability - particularly but not solely by Turkey.

Attacks by Turkish forces have focused on two critical points: the Qara-Qozak Bridge and the Tishrin Dam, both in Northeast Syria/Rojava. These two locations represent vital links between Manbij and Kobane, while control of these locations is crucial for the Turkish state to advance its desired invasion. Damage to the dam’s infrastructure risks catastrophic consequences for up to one million people downstream, threatening lives and livelihoods in urban centers like Raqqa and surrounding areas. Just on Tuesday, 28 January 2025, Turkish airstrikes killed 12 civilians and wounded 13 others in the district of Sirrin near Kobanê.

The Turkish state has escalated its attacks, targeting civilians gathered on the dam and nearby civilian areas with drones, F-16 warplanes, and artillery, leading to many casualties.

At the moment, there is still a good chance of stopping the Turkish aggression against the Kurdish people. The cause of Turkey's anti-Kurdish policy lies in Ankara's old insistence on not solving the Kurdish question. On the other hand, parts of the Turkish state are nonetheless holding talks with the Kurdish people's leader, Abdullah Öcalan, who has been imprisoned for 26 years. Öcalan has repeatedly and recently expressed his desire for a peaceful solution to the Kurdish question, including during a meeting with two Turkish Members of Parliament from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. This also took place on 28th January.

Öcalan emphasized the urgent need to address the Kurdish question through constructive dialogue and parliamentary initiatives. He reiterated his commitment to fostering Turkish-Kurdish unity and presented a vision for a democratic resolution to ongoing conflicts. If the conditions for Abdullah Öcalan’s safety, health and working conditions could be created, he would be able to improve compromises and communications toward a political solution.

Despite the ongoing Turkish attacks, we believe that this is a period of unique opportunity. The realization of this opportunity can be guaranteed by political pressure from Washington DC, especially given Turkey’s role as a strategic US ally and NATO partner.

We therefore respectfully request that you do everything in your power to press for an immediate stop of Turkish attacks in North and East Syria. We are looking forward to a future where you might be able to push the Turkish state towards a lasting peace through dialogue in the entire region.”