Fragility and Resilience: Glimpses of Rojava

A building, formerly belonging to the Baath regime, is now occupied by the Asayishs (the equivalent of the police). Posters of Bashar al-Assad and Hafez al-Assad have been torn down. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

Until Dec. 8, 2024, the central roundabout in the northeastern Syrian town of Qamishlo featured a large statue of Hafez al-Assad. Since the fall of the regime, the statutes referring to the regime have been replaced by elements of the Kurdish movement. The symbol “QSD” is tagged on the roundabout, in reference to the Syrian Democratic Forces. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

Qamishlo was home to two neighborhoods that were once under the regime. Now, people can stroll in peace without fear. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

In Qamishlo, people are finding it difficult to provide for their families because inflation is very high. Subsidized bread is distributed in every commune. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

The town of Qamishlo has not recovered running electricity, since the latest Turkish bombardment of power stations. People are forced to rely on generators. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

Since they had to flee, many families from Afrin have been living in a former Baath regime prison in Qamishlo. Living conditions are unhealthy. Children play in bullet-riddled cars. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

After fleeing to Sherba for the first time in 2018, families from Afrin were forced to return to take to the road again because of the new offensive by the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army. In Raqqa, a public school in the city center welcomes them. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

Families of those wounded at the Tishreen dam wait outside the Raqqa military hospital. Visits are only allowed on Fridays. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

On Jan. 28, Turkey bombed the village of Sarrine, a few dozen kilometers from the Tishreen front. The attack killed 12 people, including five children. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

Every day, in the villages around Kobane, families organize themselves to prepare food for delivery to the Tishreen front, to feed the soldiers. On this day, 600 meals were prepared by the villagers. They cooked all night long. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

After the Sarrine massacre, a demonstration was organized in Kobane to protest against the repeated Turkish attacks. Children came out of school and took their place on the front line of the demonstration, shouting slogans in support of the Sarrine children. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

A Turkish drone bombed the center of Kobane on Jan. 29. Two people were killed in the attack. Residents rushed to the scene of the attack to help clear the road of drone parts and damage. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

In Kobane, an entire neighborhood bordering the Turkish border remains in ruins since the war against Daech. Families still live there in great precariousness. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

Children playing on a tank on a roundabout in Kobane. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)

On Jan. 26, Kobané celebrated 10 years since its liberation from Daech, but not all inhabitants enjoyed the festivities. The youngest were left to work in the city’s garages. In most of the city’s garages, there are portraits of martyrs who died in the fighting. (Photo by Angéline Desdevises)