The New Map of Western Kurdistan (Rojava)

2026-02-03 12:49:34

At present, all Kurdish territory in the regions of Kobane, Hasakah, and Qamishli is under autonomous administration, except for Afrin, Serekaniye (Ras al-Ayn), and Tal Abyad (Girê Spî), which were occupied five years ago.
The total area currently under the control of the Autonomous Administration / SDF (HSD) is approximately 20,000 square kilometers, out of a total 33,000 square kilometers of Western Kurdistan.

At present, 7 oil and gas fields, 1,500 oil wells, and 25 gas wells remain under autonomous control. However, most villages along the borders of Western Kurdistan have undergone Arabization. Out of 1,717 villages, more than 1,000 are Arab-populated, while fewer than 700 remain Kurdish.

Out of a population exceeding 4 million in Rojava, more than 2.5 million people live under autonomous administration in Hasakah, Kobane, and Qamishli, while approximately 1.5 million people live under the control of Turkey-backed groups and the Syrian government in Afrin, Sheikh Maqsoud, Serekaniye, and Tal Abyad, areas that were previously occupied.

Recent Military Developments

The 15-day conflict between the SDF, the Syrian Army, and armed Syrian groups reshaped the control map in Syria. As a result, the SDF lost control of all Arab-majority regions, retaining authority only in Kurdish-majority areas, with a remaining area of approximately 20,000 square kilometers.

Syria’s total area is 185,180 square kilometers. Before the events in Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyah, territorial control was as follows:

Syrian Government: 69.3%
SDF: 27.8%
Druze regions: 2.8%
Golan Heights: 0.1%

Before the conflict that began on January 6, 2026, the total SDF-controlled area was 51,961 km², distributed across the governorates of Hasakah, Deir ez-Zor, Raqqa, and Aleppo.

Governorate Breakdown (Before January 2026)

Hasakah: 23,334 km²
Raqqa: 19,616 km²
Aleppo: 18,500 km²
Deir ez-Zor: 33,060 km²

Current Situation by Governorate

1. Hasakah Governorate

Total area: 23,334 km²
About 3,000 km² in the north is controlled by Turkey-backed groups. Approximately 17,000 km² remains under SDF control, including Hasakah city, Qamishli, Derik, and Amuda.

2. Raqqa Governorate

Total area: 19,616 km²
Previously, 11,700 km² were under SDF control, including Raqqa city and Tabqa. All of these Arab-majority areas have now been lost.

3. Deir ez-Zor Governorate

Total area: 33,060 km²
Previously, 14,527 km² (including the governorate center) were under SDF control. All of this Arab-majority territory has now been lost, including most oil and gas fields.

4. Aleppo Governorate

Total area: 18,500 km²
Previously, about 5,400 km² were under SDF control, including Kobane, Sheikh Maqsoud, Ashrafiyah, Deir Hafer, and Maskanah.
Currently, only 3,250 km² remain under SDF control, mainly Kobane and its countryside.

Total Area Under Autonomous Control

Approximately 20,250 square kilometers

Western Kurdistan (Rojava)

Western Kurdistan has become fragmented. Since the 1962 census, which stripped many Kurds of citizenship, and through systematic Arabization, most villages in Rojava have become Arab-populated.

According to research by Imad Abdul-Hussein Jaf, the area of Western Kurdistan exceeds 33,150 km², stretching 822 km from the Tigris River to Afrin.

According to 2023 statistics, Rojava’s population is 4,518,166, including: