Calgary Protests: Kurdish Crisis Escalates Downtown

CALGARY — Kurdish families hit the streets this weekend, carrying the weight of a war half a world away into the heart of downtown Calgary. The demonstrations, running January 24 to 25, 2026, aren't just about waving flags—they're a direct response to a military offensive tearing through Rojava, the Kurdish-held region in northeast Syria that's been hanging by a thread since March.

The Deal That Wasn't

Here's where it all went sideways. Last March 10, 2025, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) cut an integration deal with Damascus, hoping to avoid exactly this kind of bloodshed. That agreement is now roadkill. Syria's new transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, launched the offensive with Turkey whispering in one ear and handing over weapons with the other hand.

Turkey's play is transparent: crush the SDF and its military backbone, the YPG, which Ankara insists are just the PKK wearing different patches. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan aren't hiding their support—they're practically co-signing the attacks.

Canada's Billion-Dollar Tightrope

Meanwhile, Canada's walking a diplomatic razor's edge. Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly and Global Affairs Canada are tasked with managing a mess that's cost Canadian taxpayers over $4.7 billion in Syria-related aid between 2016 and 2025. That money flows through the Special Economic Measures (Syria) Regulations, with a humanitarian permit extended last August 2025—good until February 23, 2026.

But here's the kicker: Ottawa had a presumptive denial policy blocking military exports to Turkey from 2020 until January 2024. That freeze thawed the moment Turkey greenlit Sweden's NATO membership. Convenient timing, that.

War Crimes in the Fine Print

Before al-Sharaa's government even joined the fight, Turkish jets were already pounding Rojava. Throughout 2025, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) conducted airstrikes hitting civilian infrastructure—schools, hospitals, the works. SDF Commander General Mazloum Abdi didn't mince words, calling them war crimes on the record.

On January 18, 2026, a ceasefire was announced. The terms? The SDF surrenders massive chunks of territory—Raqqa and Deir ez-Zor among them—and folds its fighters into the Syrian army. The truce was supposed to stick. It hasn't. Clashes continue, reported but unconfirmed, because ceasefires in Syria have the shelf life of milk left in the sun.

The Calgary protests end Saturday night. The fighting in Rojava shows no sign of doing the same.