Four Children Die from Cold Exposure as Siege Deepens Humanitarian Crisis in Kobani

ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Four children have died from cold-related causes in the city of Kobani in Western Kurdistan, as worsening humanitarian conditions under an ongoing siege leave residents without electricity, water, heating, or access to incoming aid, according to a report by a Kurdistan24 correspondent on Saturday.

Dylan Barzan, Kurdistan24’s correspondent in Western Kurdistan, reported on Jan. 24, 2026, that the children died as temperatures dropped amid the continued isolation of Kobani. He said the humanitarian situation in the city had reached its most severe point, noting that none of the humanitarian aid sent from the Kurdistan Region to Rojava had been able to reach Kobani because of the siege.

According to Barzan, residents of Kobani have experienced a complete cutoff of electricity and water services and lack access to heating appliances. He said these conditions have left families unable to protect themselves from the cold, particularly those displaced from surrounding areas who have sought shelter in the city center.

Barzan said that civilians displaced from the outskirts of Kobani have taken refuge in mosques and schools, arriving with little more than the clothes they were wearing. He described their situation as dire, adding that many displaced families are struggling to meet basic survival needs amid freezing conditions.

The deaths of the four children were also confirmed by statements from the Kurdish Red Crescent, which announced that a number of children in Kobani had lost their lives due to exposure to the cold. The organization has characterized conditions in the city as a major humanitarian emergency, according to previous Kurdistan24 reporting.

The situation in Kobani has drawn concern from the United Nations.

Farhan Haq, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, said the organization was alarmed by the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the city. He stated that all access routes to Kobani were closed and that the situation was worsening by the day.

“There is no electricity, water [quality] is poor, and people cannot access basic services,” Haq said. While he noted that health centers in the city remain operational, he warned that medicine and medical supplies have become very scarce.

Haq said the United Nations is in discussions with officials in Aleppo in an effort to find a mechanism to deliver urgent humanitarian aid to Kobani. He added that while the UN has already delivered assistance to other areas in northeastern Syria, including Hasakah, Raqqa, and Deir ez-Zor, it has formally requested facilitation to allow aid deliveries to Kobani.

The deaths reported on Saturday come after several days of siege and clashes that have left the city increasingly isolated. According to reports cited by Kurdistan24, approximately 150,000 civilians are currently trapped inside Kobani under these conditions.

The suspension of water, electricity, fuel, food, and internet services has paralyzed daily life in the city, contributing to a wave of internal displacement. Families from surrounding villages and neighborhoods have moved toward the city center in search of relative safety, only to find limited shelter and no reliable access to heat or essential supplies.

Many of those displaced are reportedly sleeping outdoors in the cold or sheltering inside their vehicles, according to information provided by the Kurdish Red Crescent and cited in earlier reports. These conditions have significantly increased the risk to children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups.

The humanitarian emergency in Kobani has unfolded despite broader regional aid efforts. In a separate report published earlier by Kurdistan24, the Barzani Charity Foundation announced that it had expanded its humanitarian mission in Rojava, delivering 102 trucks of aid and 300,000 liters of fuel to areas in northeastern Syria.

According to that report, the foundation transported more than 850 tons of food and non-food items and deployed over 160 staff members to assist with distribution. A specialized medical team operating under the foundation examined and treated hundreds of civilians in other parts of Rojava.

However, UN officials and aid organizations have stressed that Kobani remains inaccessible. Farhan Haq previously said that all primary and secondary routes into the city were closed, preventing humanitarian convoys from reaching the population trapped inside.

The Barzani Charity Foundation’s fuel distribution efforts have focused on areas such as Qamishlo, Amuda, Girkê Legê, and Tirbespi, where 40 liters of kerosene per family have been allocated to support heating needs during the cold season. No such distribution has been reported in Kobani due to the blockade.

Earlier Kurdistan24 reporting noted that the foundation’s aid campaign was launched following directives from President Masoud Barzani and under the supervision of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, with support from the Kurdistan Regional Government. Officials emphasized that the effort was intended to continue throughout the winter.

Despite these initiatives, UN assessments have identified Kobani as the most critical gap in regional humanitarian access. Haq said that while some health facilities remain open, the lack of medicine and medical supplies has left residents vulnerable, particularly as cold-related illnesses increase.

The Kurdish Red Crescent team stationed in Kobani has issued urgent appeals to international organizations and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, calling for immediate intervention. In its communications, the team said the city and surrounding villages had been subjected to a heavy siege for several days, with essential supplies blocked despite announcements of a regional ceasefire.

According to information cited by Kurdistan24, the combination of siege conditions and winter weather has turned the humanitarian situation lethal. The reported deaths of children from cold exposure underscore the severity of the crisis and the risks facing families without shelter, heating, or access to aid.

Residents sheltering in mosques and schools are doing so without adequate bedding, fuel, or insulation, Barzan reported. Those staying in cars or outdoors face even greater exposure as temperatures remain low and services remain suspended.

The UN has reiterated that it is seeking cooperation from relevant authorities to allow aid to reach Kobani. Haq said the organization has formally requested facilitation to extend its humanitarian operations to the city, similar to assistance already delivered elsewhere in the region.

As of Saturday, no aid convoys had entered Kobani, according to Kurdistan24’s correspondent. The continued closure of access routes remains the central obstacle to alleviating conditions inside the city.

The humanitarian crisis in Kobani has thus continued to deepen even as regional and international actors attempt to scale up relief operations elsewhere in Rojava. Aid organizations and UN officials have warned that without immediate access, the risk of further loss of life remains high.

For residents trapped in the city, the deaths of the four children have become a stark indicator of the consequences of prolonged isolation during winter conditions. With basic services cut off and humanitarian access blocked, families remain exposed to the cold with limited means of protection. 

This article was updated on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, at 11:30am.