Syria
A billboard on the outskirts of Kobane in northeast Syria (Rojava) reads: 'Welcome to Kobane, the municipality of Kobane' on February 25, 2019. Photo: Hannah Lynch / Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A Kurdish resident of northeast Syria’s (Rojava) Kobane city, a symbol of resistance against the Islamic State (ISIS), has appealed to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to provide Starlink internet access to Kurdish areas, where Damascus’ Islamist-led authorities have cut communications and electricity amid ongoing abuses against Kurds.
Military escalations continue between Syrian government forces and allied armed groups against Kurdish-led forces in Rojava. Areas around Kobane and its southern countryside are under growing pressure from Damascus-affiliated forces.
"This internet cut is so that the voice of the people of Kobani does not reach the outside and no one is aware of this genocide,” he said, urging “Elon Musk to provide us with internet, because we fought terrorism on behalf of the entire world."
Amid the escalations, videos circulating on social media appear to show captured SDF fighters and civilians being insulted, beaten, and executed by armed men affiliated with Damascus. The SDF has also released footage showing several of its fighters being decapitated. Other videos show Kurdish female fighters and civilians being berated and threatened, with some militants implying they would be taken as sex slaves and be given as “gifts” for fellow fighters.
“The situation is not good in Kobane, really. Our people have all been displaced…and there are a lot of difficulties. There is no internet. There is no water. There is no electricity,” Azad Berkhbotan told Rudaw. “We are facing a great extermination, it is obvious and there is footage… they are being exterminated because of their nationality.”
Fighters affiliated with Syria’s jihadist-led army have released new footage showing two female Kurdish fighters captured during recent clashes. pic.twitter.com/FZyWhJdozB
— Rudaw English (@RudawEnglish) January 21, 2026
The Kobane resident said that the identity of those forces attacking the villages is not clear and "the government doesn't know who they are either," but he indicates that "it is clear that they are ISIS and they want to take revenge on Kobane and the Kurdish people."
The city was previously attacked by ISIS in 2014 but later gained global renown after defending against ISIS and being liberated by Rojava’s de facto army - the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - with support from the US-led global coalition and Peshmerga forces from the Kurdistan Region.
Civil society organizations in Rojava have warned of an “imminent humanitarian catastrophe,” urging Kurdish leadership in the Kurdistan Region, the United Nations, and the international community to intervene and halt attacks by Damascus-affiliated factions.
Starlink, a satellite-based internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, uses a network of low-Earth orbit satellites to provide broadband access, particularly in areas with limited or no traditional infrastructure. Access requires specialized receivers, which may need to be smuggled into restricted countries.
According to Starlink’s availability map, the service is not officially available in Syria and is not listed as pending regulatory approval. However, the satellite constellation technically covers northeast Syria. Some users online claiming to be in Syria say they can access the service, some with limitations..
“Kobane served the world and now Kobane’s situation is seriously not good,” Berkhbotan said. “Any person who has honor and dignity, we ask the entire world to rescue Kobane.”
“People [civilians] are being bombed from a distance. They cannot go to their villages, bring their things [needs]. The situation of the people is in great difficulty,” he said, adding that “We now have internet from the neighboring Turkey on the border, but otherwise the internet is generally cut out.”
Starlink has been previously used during government-imposed internet outages.
In March 2023, Starlink was used to help Iranians access the internet after authorities imposed restrictions during nationwide protests. In December 2022, Musk said nearly 100 Starlink terminals were active in Iran.
In December 2024, Hiwa Afandi, head of the Kurdistan Regional Government’s Department of Information Technology, told Rudaw that Starlink could bypass internet blockades imposed during political and regional disputes.
Military escalations continue across Rojava, where Syrian army forces and allied groups have intensified operations against the Kurdish-led SDF. Fighting began in mid-January east of Aleppo and has since spread toward Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Hasaka.
Dilbixwin Dara contributed to this report from Erbil.
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