Khabat Abbas: The Fixer and Relentless Patriot of Qamislo

We don’t often hear of the term ’fixer’ associated with Kurdish women. In fact, most people outside of the world of journalism are rarely aware of the immense bravery and selflessness such a hidden, yet essential role has to the formation of global journalism as we currently know it. Khabat Abbas is no stranger to the frontlines or leading a team of foreign journalists through on their assignments in the locality of Rojava (northern Syria). Besides from being an international award-winning fixer, Khabat Abbas is a credited and distinguished independent journalist and producer whose work has been widely published across the global media outlets. Trailblazing logistical and networking skillsets aside, Khabat’s work ethic and humanitarian approach is a testimony to her character, and her determination to continue succeeding in such a male saturated field is nothing short of admirable. Khabat sat down with Hana Ibrahim from The Jiyan Archives to discuss her work, her passion for her people, and the challenges she faced as a Kurdish woman in Western Kurdistan.

Khabat Abbas was born in 1988 in Qamişlo, one of the largest cities in Rojava, western Kurdistan. "It was a hard time to have kids", Khabat recalls, referring to the constant conflict that occurred around the time of her birth in Syria; remembering how her father had to travel long distances to bring necessities like milk for the family. Khabat lived in Qamişlo throughout her academic life and graduated from Aleppo University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature. However, this wasn't her desired field of study. "I wanted to study literature and political science," she says, but couldn’t do so because she was Kurdish and not a member of any Syrian political party. As a result, she settled for English literature. To this day, Khabat distances herself from aligning with any political membership.

After graduating in 2011, Khabat embarked on having a working career despite the rarity of women working at the time. "It was hard to convince my family to let me work," she recalls, “It was frowned upon, considered strange, and even dangerous”. Nevertheless, Khabat persevered and began working in the fields of media commercials and as a teacher. During this period, Khabat secretly taught Kurdish in university dormitories. Considering Syria’s historical aggression against its Kurdish population, the teachings of the Kurdish language has long been seen as a threat to the state. With her pro-Kurdish activities reported by disgruntled nationalists, her dismissal as a teacher was inevitable. Undeterred, she returned home and taught in the city of Rimêlan during the early stages of the Syrian revolution. However, the prevailing sentiment at the time according to Khabat was that "Kurds shouldn't think about speaking up," which resulted in Khabat being fired once again from her teaching position.

Subsequently, after a string of dismissals due to Khabat’s outspoken Kurdish identity and pride, she embarked on a career in journalism. Her motivation was not merely to bring about change but to ensure that there was a strong degree of reporting in the locality documenting the Kurds. Given the lack of mainstream media focus on Kurdish voices within Syria, Khabat extended her voice to those struggling to preserve their identity under a brutal state regime. "If something were to happen to us during that time, what records would exist? None. People would have been unaware of our existence".

Khabat was determined to create an archive, a historical record, and evidence of the Kurdish people's existence - despite the state’s efforts to suppress them. Alongside various individuals who shared a common goal, she established a local media agency, taking matters into their own hands without any external support. The agency launched from scratch, working from home, dealing with unreliable Wi-Fi connections and outdated laptops that Khabat’s father bought her and her siblings during their studies at university. Khabat also recalls her transportation struggles and the countless times she and her friends fell ill whilst waiting in the rain, attempting to hitchhike with passing strangers.

One of Khabat's earliest experiences on local TV where she showcased her work, further exemplifies the challenges she met as a Kurdish female journalist working within Syrian borders. In March 2013, during the period when the Syrian regime was still in control, Khabat had the opportunity to publicly discuss her work. However, on that very same day, Syrian intelligence contacted her father and interrogated him about why his daughter was on TV – he was also threatened with a career termination due to her activities. Nonetheless, despite the presented threats her work persisted, and the agency steadily grew.

Khabat Abbas interviewing Kurdish women in Rojava.

Abbas's ventures into a new career as a fixer had a somewhat bitter-sweet beginning according to her recollection. In 2017, Khabat’s friend arrived from France into the Rojava area with the intention of making a documentary together about the female fighters of the YPJ in Raqqa who were battling ISIS. However, the two women faced a hurdle—they lacked the necessary media equipment. To overcome this hurdle, they borrowed a camera from Khabat’s contact in Qamişlo and began shooting footage on the front lines. Unexpectedly, their contact then made an unusual demand—he threatened them, insisting that they either share a copy of their reporting material with him and make him a partner in their project, or return the camera. Naturally, Khabat and her friend refused, unwilling to share their hard-earned footage - they returned the camera to its owner. It was at this point of realisation that Khabat claims she realized the integral value of her friend's personal work on the front lines and decided to embark on a journey to work as a fixer.

Thanks to Khabat's fluency in English, she’s had the opportunity to meet numerous international journalists who travelled in to Qamişlo and were introduced to her. As a result, she formed many friendships, connections and received numerous offers to work as a fixer, which she had previously turned down due to her desire to pursue her own independent projects. Yet, this was before Khabat accepted the harsh realities of Kurdish female journalists breaking international media independently. Challenges aside, Khabat’s continued dedication to her field eventually saw her work credited in both local and international media outlets; these include ABC, Arte, Hawar, The Washington Post, The Spiegel, Sunday Times, Daily Mail and NY Books.

Being a fixer involved constant work and transportation to the front lines, exposing Khabat to the realities of war and profound loss. Despite coming from a culture where seeking psychological help is stigmatized, Khabat has always been a woman who acted without waiting for permission. Recognizing the importance of her own well-being, she has taken time off to prioritize her mental health and seek professional psychological support to process the traumatic experiences she has encountered in her work. Whether it was reporting on ISIS or facing the Turkish backed mercenaries in Rojava, Khabat refused to abandon her duties as a journalist and fixer. Breaking cultural and societal stereotypes with each assignment she cemented, Khabat’s committed to being part of the progressive change in her locality was a seed that was once planted by her own mother whose strength inspired to break many glass ceilings.

Khabat Abbas, on the frontlines in Syria.

As a voice for the unheard, Khabat remains steadfast in shedding light on the struggles faced by the forgotten in her motherland. Her unwavering dedication to her work has been globally recognized and celebrated. In 2021, Khabat was awarded the Kurt Schork Award in International Journalism in the fixer category, the Thomson Reuters Foundation and Kurt Schork Memorial Fund, which awards the prize, said in a joint statement that “through her local knowledge, extensive network of contacts and journalism skills, Abbas secured multiple exclusives for international media which made headlines, including an interview with three British women who had joined the Islamic State.” Khabat Abbas proudly became the first-ever Kurdish female to win the prestigious award, solidifying her position as a trailblazer in her field. This accolade serves as a testament to her remarkable contributions and the impact she has made in amplifying the stories and challenges of the Kurdish people in modern times.