Six Kurds Wounded in Knife Attack in Belgium Amid Protests Over Syria Crisis; KDC Urges Calm
The KDC confirmed six Kurds were wounded, two critically, in a knife attack in Antwerp during a pro-Rojava rally. The group urged calm and legal action amid rising tensions linked to alleged war crimes in Syria.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – The Kurdistani Diaspora Confederation (KDC) confirmed on Friday that six Kurdish nationals were wounded, two critically, in a knife attack during a peaceful gathering in Antwerp, Belgium. The incident occurred on Thursday amidst a wave of demonstrations across Europe in support of the Kurdish population in northeastern Syria, where reports of war crimes and military escalation have triggered alarm among expatriate communities.
In a statement released on Friday, Jan. 23, 2026, the KDC strongly condemned the violence, identifying the assailants as a group of Syrian Arabs who targeted the civil gathering.
The confederation emphasized that the event was organized to show solidarity with Western Kurdistan (Rojava), where the Syrian Arab Army and affiliated militias have launched a significant offensive.
"The attack was carried out with knives and resulted in the injury of six Kurdish compatriots, two of whom are in critical condition," the KDC revealed in its communique.
Belgian authorities have reportedly responded swiftly to the altercation.
The KDC confirmed that four suspects have been arrested in connection with the stabbings. However, the confederation has called on the Belgian police and judicial authorities to conduct a more thorough investigation and to ensure that the perpetrators are punished severely.
The statement underscored the responsibility of the Belgian security apparatus to protect the Kurdistani diaspora and prevent what the KDC termed "racist attacks."
While condemning the violence, the KDC issued a direct appeal to the diaspora community to maintain composure and refrain from retaliation.
"Do not contemplate revenge, because the idea of revenge is not within Kurdish culture, and we always support peace and tranquility," the statement read.
The confederation urged Kurds abroad to pursue justice solely through legal channels and to continue their peaceful demonstrations to highlight the grievances of their people in Syria.
Context of Rising Tensions
The violent incident in Antwerp reflects the spilling over of tensions from the conflict in Syria, where the security and humanitarian situation has deteriorated sharply over the past three weeks.
The attack on the diaspora gathering coincided with the release of harrowing evidence by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alleging widespread war crimes committed by Syrian government forces and allied paramilitary groups.
On Friday, SDF spokesperson Farhad Shami published a detailed dossier and graphic video footage accusing the Syrian Arab Army of atrocities in northeast Syria. The evidence, released on the social media platform X, purportedly documents incidents of body burning, torture, and beheadings.
Shami described the material as evidence of "grave violations" and a "clear breach of all humanitarian and international laws and norms."
The dossier lists 51 specific incidents that reportedly occurred within less than 17 days. These allegations include the siege and shelling of the Khaled Fajr Hospital in the Sheikh Maqsud neighborhood of Aleppo, where medical staff and patients were reportedly left without food or electricity before being attacked.
Other entries detail field executions, the dragging of corpses through streets, and the use of sectarian slurs against Kurdish civilians.
A particularly disturbing element of the SDF’s report links the attacking forces to extremist ideologies.
The dossier asserts that some factions operating under the Syrian flag are affiliated with groups like Jabhat al-Nusra and remnants of the Islamic State (ISIS). Shami presented evidence suggesting that these forces deliberately breached prison facilities to facilitate the escape of ISIS operatives, further destabilizing the region.
Humanitarian Crisis and Isolation
The violence on the ground has precipitated a severe humanitarian crisis, driving the diaspora protests that were targeted in Belgium.
The Kurdish Peace Institute reported on Friday that escape routes for civilians in Rojava are being systematically cut off.
Megan Bodette, the institute’s Director of Research, warned from Qamishlo that armed forces appear intent on severing the road to the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, a critical lifeline for those fleeing the conflict.
In Kobani, the situation is described as catastrophic. The city is completely besieged by the Syrian Arab Army, with electricity, water, and internet services cut.
Mustafa Sheikh Muslim, a lawyer in the city, told Kurdistan24 that forces are actively preventing the delivery of humanitarian aid despite the dire need for fuel, medicine, and baby formula amidst heavy winter snowfall.
The convergence of military encirclement, alleged war crimes, and the targeting of diaspora communities has created a volatile environment.
Elham Ahmad, the Head of Foreign Relations for the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, praised the diaspora's support as a "true line of defense" against genocide. However, the incident in Antwerp highlights the risks facing Kurdish communities abroad as they mobilize to draw international attention to the plight of their homeland.