Kobane—once a symbol of defiance against the Islamic State—is once again under threat. In this episode of In Crisis Mode, journalist Jan Jessen travels to northern Syria and speaks with those now trapped in a familiar nightmare: refugees who cannot return, civilians caught between the fronts, and Kurdish fighters trying to hold the line. Their message: the world must not look away.

Note: This episode features an AI-assisted English voiceover of Jan Jessen.

With:

Talal Sadun – calls for protection from a world he feels has forgotten the Kurds

Dschalal Musta – warns of the impact of daily airstrikes

Yussuf – fled Manbij, and knows he cannot return

Jan Jessen – with insights from the ground and a call to the international community

🧭 Chapter Overview

1 | Kobane under pressure

Why the region faces new threats—and why it matters beyond Syria.

2 | “No one protects us” – Voices from Kobane

Talal Sadun and Dschalal Musta speak out against abandonment and airstrikes.

3 | “We can’t go back” – Displacement and despair

Yussuf and others explain why home is no longer safe.

4 | Global silence, rising danger

What Turkey wants, how the SDF responds—and where the world stands.

5 | What now?

Jan Jessen reflects on Kobane’s future—and the cost of ignoring the crisis.

More episodes to explore

Myanmar in Ruins – Earthquake amid war and political collapse

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Thanks to Thomas Bertram and Fabian Hölscher for their voices.

In Crisis Mode is a podcast by the FUNKE Media Group.