He survived ISIS terror in Kobani, Syria, and found refuge in Germany. Today, the Kurd Alan Wali raises his voice not only for his own people, but also for Israel and against anti-Semitism. This is the story of a young man who has experienced violence and refuses to remain silent in the face of injustice.
By Dana Nowak
Life was never easy for Alan and his family as Kurds in Syria. But when the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) launched a major attack on the city of Kobani and the surrounding villages in the Rojava province in 2014, it became unbearable. Around 300,000 Kurds were reported to have fled to neighboring Turkey and from there to various other countries. Alan also fled. Together with his brother, who suffered from a hip condition, he made his way to Germany. His mother and father joined him in 2019.
“It was terrible when ISIS attacked our city. I was a volunteer with the Red Crescent and was on the scene after attacks to help the injured. I'll never forget fleeing after a bombing near a school. All around me were dying people, children torn to pieces.” Alan's voice falters as he continues. “I was running. And then a second bomb came. That was typical of ISIS: first one attack, and when aid workers arrive, another one follows. My family tried to help the injured and the refugees as best they could. We distributed aid supplies; we had a beautiful house. But we lost everything; the house was bombed.”
"So I ran for my life..."
The memories of that time still haunt Alan to this day. One experience in particular is seared into his memory: During the siege of Kobane, there was a severe shortage of food and medicine. His brother desperately needed medicine. Alan was sent to get it from Turkey. The route there led through a mined border region. "I was so scared, but I just kept going."
On the Turkish side, he was arrested by soldiers. “They beat me. I explained to them that I only needed medication.” But the commanding officer tore up the prescription and sent him back. “He said he would count to three, then he would shoot. So I ran for my life. Through the mines again. In that moment, you forget all the pain because the fear is so intense. The Turks shot, but I made it. My uncles were waiting on the other side. They returned fire. I was wounded all over and had to be treated in the hospital for a long time.”
Jews and Kurds: "Both peoples have had to endure much suffering"
As a Kurd, Alan says he grew up with exclusion and hatred. He therefore feels a special connection to the Jewish people. "Jews and Kurds have a similar history; both peoples have suffered greatly. The Arabs hate us Kurds, the Turks hate us, the Iranian regime hates us. Our enemies want us dead. We can't rely on anyone."
Alan sees one explanation for the hatred in the geopolitical importance of the Kurdish-inhabited areas: “The region where the Kurds live in Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Iran is very rich in oil. It has strategically important mountains and significant rivers. These countries do not want to give up these territories for a Kurdish state. Kurdistan would then be the strongest country in the Middle East after Israel.”
Gratitude for Germany
Alan remembers the day of his arrival in Germany vividly: “It was August 15, 2015, at 6 p.m. Their journey to Germany took the brothers from Turkey by boat to Greece, then through Macedonia, Serbia, Hungary, and Austria to Passau in Germany. For Alan's family, the decision to flee to Germany was clear from the moment they first considered it. “Germany was sacred to our grandparents. After Kurdistan, it's the region with the largest Kurdish population. I'm so grateful that Germany took me in, that I can discover the world through Germany. I can move freely here, express my opinion, and practice my religion freely.”
From the very beginning, Alan was eager to integrate into German society. He speaks fluent German, has completed training as a lifeguard and water rescuer, and is a certified first aid and lifeguard instructor. He is currently undertaking further training to become a language and integration facilitator. As he did in Syria, he is also actively involved in volunteer work in Germany and is a proud member of the CSU (Christian Social Union).
Would he return to Syria? “No, only to Kurdistan,” he replies resolutely. His hope is for his people to have their own state, or at least an autonomous region. “I wish that the Jews in Israel and we Kurds in a Kurdish state could live in freedom and peace, without fear of radical Muslims.”
Alan gained insight into life in Israel when he was able to participate in a conference in Tel Aviv on the treatment of minorities in Syria. He remains deeply moved by a meeting with Yehuda Ben-Yosef, the president of the Jewish community of Kurdistan in Israel. "He is simply there for us Kurds around the clock and supports us. I thank God that he brought a person like him into the world."
Alan's first trip to Israel left a deep impression on him: "I admire Israel. I've seen many countries, but what I experienced in Israel is unique in the world. Here, everyone lives together like brothers, white and black, skin color doesn't matter. At night, the streets are safer there than here in Europe."
An activist for Israel
Alan isn't afraid to publicly show his solidarity with Israel and the Jewish people in Germany. "I'm not afraid in Germany. I'm only afraid for my family in Syria. I'm an activist for Israel and for the Kurds. I don't fight with a weapon. But I take to the streets here for democracy and freedom, even if I'm hated by other people for it. We only live once, and in this life we shouldn't remain silent in the face of injustice."
In Israel – where between 200,000 and 300,000 Jewish Kurds live – he witnessed Jews, Kurds, Christians, Muslims, and Druze living together like brothers. However, Alan believes that Palestinians living outside of Israel are more radical than those within. “I spoke with Palestinians in Israel, and they said they love Israel. And then you come to Germany and see all these Palestinian and Muslim Israel-haters. All I can say is: Go fly to Israel and see for yourselves! I refuse to accept this and find it appalling that so many EU citizens are complicit and allying themselves with radicals.”
"Please don't abandon the Kurds."
Alan's enthusiasm for Israel is mixed with a touch of disappointment. "It's a shame that the Israeli government doesn't officially stand behind us Kurds. Israel helped the Druze in Syria, and I wish it would also clearly acknowledge the suffering of my people. If Israel defended the Kurds, no one could do anything against us, not even Turkey. We Kurds love Israel, even if we can't say so openly everywhere because we are still oppressed in other countries, like Iraq."
Nevertheless, Alan has a clear message for the Jewish people: “We stand by your side, in good times and in bad. We are like brothers. Please don't abandon the Kurds. We are fighting for the freedom of Kurdistan, just as you fought and continue to fight for the freedom of Israel. And the Kurds in Iran especially need you now!”
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 145. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
