28.02.2026 17.00 UPDATE Israel and USA attack Iran

28.02.2026 17.00 UPDATE Israel and USA attack Iran

This morning, Israel and the United States carried out a series of missile strikes on Iran in an operation dubbed “Roar of the Lion”. The cities hit so far are the capital Tehran, Isfahan, and Qom. Iran is currently responding to the Israeli and US military operations by striking the US naval base in Bahrain and launching missiles against Israel. The attacks come amid negotiations between Israel, the US and Iran to reach an agreement on the Islamic Republic of Iran’s nuclear arsenal. This violent twist in the negotiations, which will affect innocent civilians and slow down the agreements, will only lead to further instability in a region already affected by more than two years of Israeli attacks on neighbouring states.

New statement of Abdullah Öcalan

Exactly one year after his historic call for peace and a democratic society, the founder of the Kurdistan Freedom Movement Abdullah Öcalan has released a new statement from Imrali prison. Considering the latest intervention of Abdullah Öcalan which paused the war in Rojava and the rest of Kurdistan, the statement emphasises the fact that: “The process we have left behind has proven our negotiating capability and our strength to ensure the transition from the politics of violence and polarization to democratic politics and integration.”

Ilham Ehmed and Rohilat Efrîn in the European Parliament

This week, Ilham Ehmed and Rohilat Efrîn addressed MEPs at the European Parliament in Brussels.Not to ask for favours but to demand real guarantees for the Kurdish people.They spoke about the crisis in Syria. They reiterated that an international monitoring mechanism is needed to protect political, cultural and civil rights.They made it clear that no agreement with Syria can be fair unless it guarantees the dignity of the Kurdish people and all components of the region.This is not empty dialogue. It is a call for international responsibility. It is the voice of those who defended the people from ISIS, those who built freedom under fire, those who do not give up.

Çelebî: new joint checkpoints

In Çelebî, the town in the Kobanê area where heavy attacks by jihadist militias were taking place until a few weeks ago, where the offensive was stopped, joint checkpoints have now been set up as provided for in the 29 January agreement. The city of Kobanê has been under siege for more than 40 days, so the presence of joint checkpoints should not be seen as a sign that the state of emergency is over, but should still be considered part of the integration process.

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong responded to a letter from Labour MP Charishma Kaliyanda regarding the Syrian interim government’s attacks on Kurdish forces. Australia says it is deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in Aleppo, the clashes between Kurdish forces and the interim government, the civilian casualties and the forced displacement of people. Canberra calls for compliance with the ceasefire and supports an inclusive political transition that guarantees the rights of all peoples in Syria. Australia says it has raised these concerns through diplomatic channels and is co-sponsoring a UN resolution for the protection of civilians. Since 2011, more than $600 million in humanitarian aid has been provided to Syria and neighbouring countries.