Tishrin Dam: Symbol of resistance against Turkish attacks

On October 27, 2024, "Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham" launched a large-scale attack on areas under Ba’ath regime control and managed, over three days, to capture Aleppo. 

Simultaneously, the Turkish occupying state and its mercenaries escalated attacks against displaced people from Afrin residing in Shahba areas. To avoid massacres and extermination, the Autonomous Administration and the Syrian Democratic Forces relocated the displaced to safer areas in northeast Syria. Despite this, Turkey and its mercenaries continued attacks during this period.

On December 8, while Syrians celebrated the fall of the Ba’ath regime, Turkey launched major attacks on Manbij and the vicinity of Qarqouzaq Bridge and Tishrin Dam, using fighter jets, drones, tanks, and armored vehicles.

Syrian Democratic Forces fighters and Women’s Protection Units confronted these attacks, which Turkey mobilized its full military and media power to carry out, aiming to capture Tishrin Dam and Qarqouzaq Bridge. All attempts failed against the fighters’ resilience.

On December 14, Turkish media claimed control over Tishrin Dam, but journalists Jihan Belkin and Nazem Dashtan exposed the false claims. Five days later, Turkey launched another three-pronged attack using tanks, armored vehicles, and aircraft, accompanied by its largest media campaign. However, Jihan and Nazem’s coverage revealed the opposite reality. Returning from the dam, they were targeted by a Turkish drone and martyred on December 19.

Turkey and its mercenaries continued intense attacks on Tishrin Dam, met with resistance from SDF fighters and YPJ units.

In response, tens of thousands of residents from the region—Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Turkmen, and Circassians—moved to Tishrin Dam to protect it.

 On January 8, the first convoy from all areas of NE Syria arrived, including residents of Kobani, Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, Hasakah, Tel Tamer, Shaddadi, Qamishlo, Derik, Amouda, and Garkê Legê . However, the convoy was directly attacked by Turkey, resulting in the martyrdom of six civilians: Zozan Hamo, Karam Ahmad Al-Shihab Al-Hamad, Azad Farhan Mohammad Hassan, Mustafa Abdi, Osman Ibrahim, and Ali Abbas Shasho.

On January 15, Turkish attacks on dam guards killed medic Omar Hassan, the couple Adham Mustafa Ali and Hiza Mohammad, Osman Ibrahim, and student Roniz Mohammad Ali.

On January 16, civilian Mohammad Qasmo was martyred in a Turkish drone strike on a civilian convoy. On January 17, another Turkish strike on civilians resulted in the deaths of medic Maher Jafar Mahmid and Mohammad Haso.

Turkey renewed attacks on dam guards on January 18, killing Akram Sheikhus Hussein Rakho, athlete Kivo Osman, Co-Chair of the Democratic Union Party in Qamishlo Manija Haidar, council members Muzaffar Ramadan Mohammad and Abdelkader Ibrahim, and Kurdish theater artist (Bafi Tayar) Juma Ibrahim Khalil.

In attacks on January 21–22 and January 25, more civilians, including Mohamad Shafeeq Ismail and Mohamad Khalil Hamo, were martyred. On January 26, a Turkish drone strike on protesters at the dam injured more than 34 civilians, including seven journalists, Co-Chair of Education Authority Samira Haj Ali, and Deputy Co-Chair of the Jazira Executive Council Hamrin Ali. Journalist Akid Roj was martyred on February 15 while covering civilian resistance to a Turkish suicide drone attack.

Popular and National Symbolic Resistance

Despite freezing temperatures, protesters at Tishrin Dam marked major national and international occasions such as the anniversary of the international conspiracy against Abdullah Ocalan (February 15, 1999), International Women’s Day (March 8), the anniversary of the Syrian revolution (March 15), Newroz (March 21), Ramadan, and Eid al-Fitr.

On May 5, a delegation from the Autonomous Administration, led by Aven Sweid and Hussein Osman, visited the dam to salute the people’s resistance and announced the end of active shifts while emphasizing ongoing vigilance against new threats.

Resistance Toll

During 118 days of shifts from January 8 to May 5, tens of thousands of residents from northeast Syria participated, including groups from the Euphrates, Tabqa, Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Jazira Canton, as well as Afrin displaced. The resistance resulted in 25 martyrs and 240 wounded, including journalists, academics, artists, politicians, and university students.

The resistance at Tishrin Dam represents an enduring heroic saga against the machinery of war, proving that the people of NE Syria will not accept a life without dignity and freedom, and are prepared to defend their existence to the last breath. Tishrin Dam has become a national symbol of popular resilience against Turkish occupation ambitions and a living example of the ability of united peoples to protect their land and resources under all circumstances.

ANHA