A video depicting a Syrian militiaman clutching what he asserts is a severed braid from a Kurdish fighter who died in Raqqa has ignited outrage as Damascus seeks to assert control amid a fragile ceasefire.
In the footage, the man holds aloft an object that appears to be a cut braid. He is reported to tell the person filming that he took it from a woman he claims was affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
When questioned why he did this, he responds, “She’s already gone, what will she do?” according to a London-based news outlet
The video spurred an online campaign and protests where Kurdish women braided their hair in solidarity. Outrage continued to grow as control in northeastern Syria began to shift, as reported.
“The video highlighted the fears many Kurds have about what Syrian government control could mean for their communities,” a Syria analyst at Digital stated.
“The Damascus-affiliated fighter held up a severed braid, claiming he cut it from a YPJ fighter killed in Raqqa, but he later claimed it was ‘artificial’ and ‘a joke.’ The woman’s identity and fate remain unverified,” Hawach said.
“The response matters more than the video though,” he added, noting that the braid carries “cultural significance in Kurdish tradition and has become a symbol of
The incident occurs as Damascus, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, pushes to expand its influence and authority into areas long governed by the SDF—the U.S.’s primary partner in the fight against ISIS in Syria.
Raqqa, once the de facto capital of the Islamic State group, has also seen clashes break out between Syrian government forces and Kurdish units across the region, leading to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire on January 18.
The truce followed diplomatic efforts by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who met with SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil on January 17 before traveling to Damascus to meet al-Sharaa, as reported.
“This new has created a real diplomatic window, but postpones rather than resolves the fundamental dispute,” Hawach said.
“For Syria’s Kurds, the extension offers temporary relief but perhaps little certainty about what comes next,” he noted. “The fundamental disagreement remains: Damascus insists on individual integration, while the SDF views organizational dissolution as political erasure.”
The ceasefire extension was also linked to security concerns surrounding held in northeastern Syria.
Damascus has taken control of several detention sites. As previously reported by Digital, prisoners escaped during the transfer of control before U.S. Central Command launched on January 21, with the operation still ongoing.
“Washington is racing to transfer detainees before the security situation deteriorates further,” Hawach stated.
is to prevent this standoff from producing two outcomes: violence against Kurds, or an Islamic State resurgence from detention facilities,” he said.
“The U.S. is trying to ensure this transition doesn’t end in violence along ethnic lines or an Islamic State resurgence,” Hawach added.
“The fundamental dispute over integration between the SDF and Damascus remains unresolved. If they cannot bridge that gap, renewed fighting is possible when this new 15-day ceasefire expires,” he concluded.