Thessaloniki/Ankara, January 29, 2026
To draw attention to the humanitarian situation and the war in Syria, members of the “Caravan for the Defense of Humanity” protested yesterday at the Greek-Turkish border. At the same time, members of the Caravan who were travelling from the Kurdish city of Amed (Turkish: Diyarbakir) toward the Syrian border, were detained by Turkish police.
“I travelled from Germany to the Greek-Turkish border to make it clear that Europe also bears responsibility for what is happening in Syria. It is a scandal that the German government remains silent while the Turkish military wages war in Syria in violation of international law. Now, more than ever, it must use its diplomatic relations to press for an end to the violence and an end to the attacks on the territories of the Autonomous Administration”, says Lea Bunse, who protested at the Greek-Turkish border yesterday and was herself injured in a Turkish drone strike a year ago.
At the same time another part of the Caravan, which was already in Turkey, was arrested by Turkish police. The whereabouts of the 16 detainees, among them many young people and several female journalists, are currently unknown. It is unclear whether and when they will be deported to their home countries. At the time of their arrest, they were travelling from Amed to Mardin, from where they intended to continue on to the border to Kobane.
“We will not be intimidated by this repression. The Turkish state’s stance is nothing new: time and again it sides with Islamists, restricts democratic rights, and refuses humanitarian aid”, says Livia Selmi, who joined the protest from Italy.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in the city of Kobane and throughout the entire region of DAANES (Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria) continues to worsen. Basic supplies are desperately lacking, as evidenced by news reports coming out of the city in recent days. Despite the agreed-upon ceasefire, military attacks by Islamist militias and Turkey continue.
“I travelled from Hanover to stand in solidarity with the people of Kobane. The situation in the city is catastrophic: bread, water, electricity, and medicine are almost entirely unavailable. At the same time, Islamist militias, who have already committed massacres of civilians elsewhere, are attacking alongside the Turkish military”, emphasises Gesa Jonasson.
Press contact:
Spokespeople and participants of the Caravan remain available to the press for inquiries and interviews.
Caravan spokesperson: Gesa Jonasson +49 163 1439287
Caravan participant Lea Bunse: +49 176 14863535
Additional spokespeople for different languages can be reached via the general press team contact number: +31 613 048 773
