Politis

Clashes at Turkey-Syria Border During Pro-Kurdish Rally

Published January 20, 2026, 16:27
Clashes at Turkey-Syria Border During Pro-Kurdish Rally

Approximately 1,000 pro-Kurdish demonstrators attempted to cross from Turkey into Syria via the Nusaybin border crossing, resulting in clashes with Turkish security forces. The rally was organized in protest against the Syrian army's offensive, supported by Turkey, against Kurdish fighters in northeastern Syria. Turkish forces responded with tear gas and water cannons to prevent the demonstrators from crossing the border. The demonstrators, chanting slogans in support of resistance in Rojava (the autonomous Kurdish enclave in Syria), threw stones at police officers. Similar rallies were also held on the Syrian side of the border, in the city of Qamishli. The co-chairs of the pro-Kurdish DEM party addressed the crowd, condemning the attack against the Kurds and expressing their solidarity with the people of Rojava. They emphasized the importance of resistance and the preservation of Kurdish identity and language. This incident highlights the ongoing tension in the region and the sensitivity of the Kurdish issue, as well as Turkey's involvement in the Syrian civil war.