Ukraine is not the only place in the world where people are waging an armed struggle against the imperialist encroachments of authoritarian regimes. For many decades, the Kurds — the world’s largest stateless ethnic group — have been fighting anyone who tries to destroy them. Under constant pressure from the regimes of Assad, Erdogan or Islamists from ISIS, they are nevertheless trying to build their egalitarian project — Rojava. 

The relationship between Rojava and Ukraine is much stronger than it seems. Many fighters and internationalist fighters, who fought as part of the Syrian Democratic Forces (a military formation of the Autonomous Administration of Northeastern Syria, including other ethnic groups in the region), arrived in Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion to help fight Russia. Some are still here, but we cannot tell you more about them for security reasons. But we can honour the memory of the Irishman Finbar “Chia” Cafferkey — who was killed in Ukraine in the battle for Bakhmut, and Marcy from Great Britain, who perished fighting for Avdiivka — both former SDF fighters.

At the same time, with the fall of Assad and the beginning of a new Turkish offensive on the Kurdish-controlled territory of Syria, anti-authoritarians are again fighting for Rojava. 

And even despite the difficult situation, they managed to send us their greetings! On our end, we stand in solidarity with the anti-authoritarians of Rojava and plan to cover their struggle more thoroughly! 

“Solidarity with the anarchists and anti-authoritarians of Ukraine from the anarchists fighting in Rojava against the Islamists and the Turkish state for a free Kurdistan!”