A video has surfaced that has ignited widespread condemnation, showing a Syrian militiaman allegedly brandishing a severed braid, claiming it belonged to a Kurdish fighter who was killed in Raqqa. This incident comes at a tense time as the Syrian government seeks to re-establish authority in the northeastern region amid an uneasy ceasefire.
In the footage, the militiaman is seen holding what appears to be a cut braid, asserting that it was taken from a woman associated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). When questioned by the person recording the video on his actions, he reportedly responds with a dismissive, “She’s already gone, what will she do?” This exchange was reported by the London-based news outlet, New Arab.
The video has sparked a wave of protests and an online campaign where Kurdish women have been braiding their hair in a show of solidarity. Anger continues to mount as the power dynamics in northeastern Syria shift, according to reports from AFP.
“The video has intensified the concerns many Kurds harbor regarding the implications of Syrian government control over their communities,” explained Nanar Hawach, a Syria analyst, in an interview with Fox News Digital.
Hawach, who is affiliated with the International Crisis Group, elaborated that “the fighter, connected with Damascus, held up a severed braid, alleging it was from a YPJ fighter killed in Raqqa. However, he later dismissed it as ‘artificial’ and merely ‘a joke.’ The identity and fate of the woman in question remain unconfirmed.”
“The Damascus-affiliated fighter held up a severed braid, claiming he cut it from a YPJ fighter killed in Raqqa, but he later claimed it was ‘artificial’ and ‘a joke.’ The woman’s identity and fate remain unverified,” Hawach, of International Crisis Group, said
“The response matters more than the video though,” he added, noting that the braid carries “cultural significance in Kurdish tradition and has become a symbol of women’s resistance.”
Women began braiding their hair in protest after a video went viral appearing to show a Syrian soldier bragging about cutting a Kurdish female fighter’s braid. (Omar Karim / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
The incident comes as Damascus, under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, pushes to expand its reach and authority into areas long governed by the SDF, the U.S.’ main partner in the fight against ISIS in Syria.
Raqqa, once the Islamic State group’s de facto capital, has also seen fighting emerge across the region between Syrian government forces and Kurdish units, prompting a U.S.-brokered cease-fire on Jan. 18.
The truce followed diplomatic efforts by U.S. envoy Tom Barrack, who met SDF commander Mazloum Abdi and Kurdish leader Masoud Barzani in Erbil on Jan. 17 before traveling to Damascus to meet al-Sharaa, Reuters reported.
“This new 15-day ceasefire extension has created a real diplomatic window, but postpones rather than resolves the fundamental dispute,” Hawach said.
Syrian security forces increased security measures at Al-Hawl refugee camp. (Santiago Montag/Anadolu via Getty Image)
“For Syria’s Kurds, the extension offers temporary relief but perhaps little certainty about what comes next,” he said. “The fundamental disagreement remains: Damascus insists on individual integration, while the SDF views organizational dissolution as political erasure.”
The ceasefire extension was also tied to security concerns surrounding ISIS prisoners held in northeastern Syria.
Damascus has taken control of several detention sites. As previously reported by Fox News Digital, prisoners escaped amid the transfer of control before U.S. Central Command began moving detainees to Iraq on Jan. 21, with the operation ongoing.
Syrian citizens celebrate and raise Syrian flags on Jan. 20, 2026 in Raqqa, Syria. (Ahmad Hasaballah/Getty Images)
“Washington is racing to transfer detainees before the security situation deteriorates further,” Hawach said.
“Washington’s goal is to prevent this standoff from producing two outcomes: violence against Kurds, or an Islamic State resurgence from detention facilities,” he said.
“The U.S. is trying to ensure this transition doesn’t end in violence along ethnic lines or an Islamic State resurgence,” Hawach added.
“The fundamental dispute over integration between the SDF and Damascus remains unresolved. If they cannot bridge that gap, renewed fighting is possible when this new 15-day ceasefire expires,” he said.
