3 years since June 25 massacre, how does defense system look like in Kobani?

ZANA SIDI /KOBANI

The dawn of 25 June of 2015 was not as usual as other days passed by Kobani canton's people, after few months Kobani, People’s Protection Units and Women’s Protection Units (YPG, YPJ) bravely resisted Islamic State's gangs. 

Briefly... the events of massacre

Three years have passed since these bloody events; the horrific massacre took place due to infiltration of dozens of Islamic State's gangs from Sareen town located 35 km south of Kobani city towards Brag Battan village (one of the villages in the southern countryside of Kobani), while another group passed from the Murshid Pinar border crossing in Kobani city with Turkey, in front of the Turkish soldiers after they detonated a car bomb.

More than 200 people lost their lives in hours, some of them handcuffed by Islamic State's gangs and killed in the worst form, while others were sniped inside neighborhoods, including women and children.

The causes of the massacre according to observers

Regardless of the size of Turkey's large-scale scheme against the Kurdish people and its support for Daesh in public, many observers say that the reasons for the massacre, the weakness of the internal protection system in Kobani and its countryside was a major cause of the loss of many civilians’ lives. The parents thought that terrorism had ended in their city after the expulsion of (IS).

Prior to that, People’s and Women’s Protection Units (YPG,YPJ) in the southern, eastern and western Kobani villages spread after the expulsion of Islamic State's gangs from these areas, resulting in gaps due to the lack of fighters at the time, which the mercenaries benefited from in their attack on Kobani.

The mercenaries were able, without any difficulty, to enter the city after disguising themselves in the clothing of the Protection Units, and in vicinity of the automatic bakery, the Autonomous Administration building and north of the city near al-Salam square, the city center near al-Hurria square, surrounding Mustafa Darwish gas station on Sheran road, the old Souq al-Hall (Vegetable market), the Secondary School for boys, Haj Beko neighborhood, surrounding old Baath School, Street 48 and Barg Battan village, with no protection measures inside the city

After the massacre, the protection forces constituted

Several meetings were held a week after the massacre, where in early July of the year 2015, military units were formed to protect the streets of the city and within all villages, called the Society Protection Forces.

These include young men, women and elders working to protect their villages daily and alternately, as well as in the streets of Kobani city until the morning hours, and members of Society Protection Forces take training courses lasting a month, where members receive military and intellectual lessons on the history of the region and the political implications of the crises in the East Middle.

The Commune system (the smallest community cell) is based on the formation of committees consisting of people from the private geographical area. Each of these committees has its own mission, with the aim of providing services to the people and facilitating the work. Among these committees is the security committee from which the Society Protection Forces sprang.

On 19 July of that year, the first training course was started with the participation of more than 30 trainees at the Martyr Delvan Academy in Sheran town in the countryside of Kobani. Thousands of parents graduated from the Academy to this day.

After the elections of the local councils on 1 December 2017, the protection system was heavily discussed due to its importance, which is also the most necessary amid this phase the region witnesses, 4 centers of Society Protection Forces were formed in the city and neighboring towns, the principle of self-protection and self-reliance during graduation for its members.

On the other hand, the Martyr Kendal Academy has graduated 10 military courses for fighters of the Self-Defense Duty after the massacre to be deployed intensively within the canton, especially on the border, to prevent any further infiltration from the Turkish side in particular.

Asayîş forces are working to fortify the entrances of the city and the towns in the canton through the military checkpoints that were placed on the main roads and some of the secondary roads. Moreover, courses for Asayîş Special Units (HAT) were given which functions is storming cities.

Asayîş forces patrol at night inside the city and its countryside, accompany marches and demonstrations as well as they protect other activities and events organized in the canton.

(T/S)

ANHA