Kurdish refugee Behrouz Boochani says Australia should protect at-risk Kurds in Syria

INTERVIEW: Kurdish refugee Behrouz Boochani talks to SBS about his reaction to events in northern Syria

Behrouz Boochani Source: AAP

Kurdish author, journalist and human rights activist Behrouz Boochani was detained as a refugee on Manus Island for six years before recently being moved to Port Moresby. He says he's worried about the fate of Kurds in northern Syria, after Turkey launched a cross-border operation into northern Syria last week, following the US withdrawal of its forces from the area. The Kurds were Washington’s staunchest and most effective allies in the war against the Islamic State. Since bombing began on 9 October, Turkish military operations against the Syrian Democratic Forces in northern Syria have killed at least 11 civilians and an unconfirmed number of Kurdish fighters, with estimates ranging from dozens to hundreds. Mr Boochani has been speaking to SBS reporter Nick Baker and is calling on Australia to act to protect Kurdish people in Syria.