Kobane: Victory of Humanity

By Junaid Jamali:

The Kurdish militia YPG-YPJ, together with Peshmergas of the autonomous Region of Kurdistan, Iraq, drove the Islamic State (IS) group from the North Syrian city of Kobane, which is populated by ethnic Kurds, and raised their flags on Monday, dealing the jihadists an important blow after months of heavy fighting. These Kurdish forces have been supported by near-daily U.S- led airstrikes around the town.

The Kobane siege was launched by IS (also known as ISIL or ISIS) militants on 16 September 2014. Kurdish fighters have seized the security and government district of Kobane from the IS and now control 90 percent of the border town, according to the BBC. “U.S. Central Command confirms that anti-ISIL forces now control approximately 90 percent” of Kobane, stated Aljazeera English.

YPG spokesman Polat Jan announced the news on Twitter, writing: “Congratulations to humanity, Kurdistan, and the people of Kobane on the liberation of Kobane.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) President Massoud Barzani has sent a congratulatory message on the clearing of Kobani of ‪‎IS, saying this victory belongs to the people of ‪‎Kurdistan (Rudaw News).

The Islamic State still has fighters in hundreds of nearby villages, and it called on its supporters on Monday to target people in the West with whatever weapons they could lay their hands on. In an audio clip posted online, IS spokesman Abu Mohammad al-Adnan said supporters should attack Westerners with whatever weapons they had, “whether an improvised explosive device, bullets, a knife, car bomb or a fist”.

“We repeat a call to followers in Europe and the infidel west to target the crusaders in their own lands and wherever they are,” he said, praising attacks in Paris, Ottawa and Sydney.

Analysts say the loss of Kobane is both a symbolic and strategic blow for IS, which had set its sights on the small town in a bid to cement its control over a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border.

The battle for Kobane was not only a fight between the YPG,YPJ, Kurdish Peshmergas and the IS. It was also a battle between humanity and barbarity, a battle between freedom and tyranny; it was a battle between all human values and the enemies of humanity. It was the truth, the spirit of freedom; it was the free will of the people and the will of humanity that ultimately succeeded in Kobane.

YPJ fighters enjoying some respite from their heroic struggle

YPJ fighters enjoying some respite from their heroic struggle

Junaid Jamali is a political sociologist and friend of Kurdistan, from Balochistan.

One Response to Kobane: Victory of Humanity
  1. Felix Jury
    February 5, 2015 | 08:24

    I call this real courage, the work of good always in control , evil is a lie and it has to always be concurred .
    I live thousands of miles from Kobane in a country called New Zealand and we totally support the Kurds to have their own home land .
    God bless .

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