Mashaal Tammo

Mashaal Tammo (1958–2011) was a Syrian Kurdish politician and activist who advocated for Kurdish rights. He spent over three years in jail before his release in 2010. Afterward, he founded the liberal Kurdish Future Movement party, which opposed regional autonomy for Kurds, angering both the government and Kurdish rivals. He distanced himself from the Kurdish movement, stating he was part of the broader Syrian revolution, leading to his withdrawal from Kurdish alliances.

Tammo joined the Syrian National Council, a opposition coalition. In 2011, during the Syrian uprising, he was assassinated by masked men in Qamishli. His funeral drew over 50,000 mourners, with security forces killing five more. The Syrian government blamed "armed terrorists" and an "international conspiracy," while Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party accused Turkish involvement.

Tammo's son urged Kurds to support the revolt, calling his assassination a blow to the regime. Several Free Syrian Army units were named after him, though some later changed their names due to ideological shifts. Tammo's legacy remains tied to the Kurdish struggle and broader Syrian opposition movements.