Eyewitness to Kobani resistance: victory was their only option

Mohammed Oso, known by his nom de guerre Abu Mazlum, from the village of Qarah Mog south of Kobani, is one of the eyewitnesses to what became known as the “Resistance of the Age.” He fought alongside the defenders of Kobani during the 2014 ISIS assault on the city. Speaking to ANHA agency, Oso recalled those days of fierce resistance, emphasizing that victory was their only choice.

Oso recounted that during the 2014 battle, the fighters of the People’s and Women’s Protection Units (YPG and YPJ) stood firm against ISIS attacks despite facing tanks and heavy artillery, while they themselves were armed only with light weapons. “When ISIS attacked Kobani from three directions in 2014, we resisted with all our strength. The mercenaries attacked us with tanks and heavy guns, but the YPG and YPJ fighters fought with light weapons and brave hearts. The people of Kobani supported us day and night, and in the end, we prevailed,” he said.

He added that the ISIS gangs aimed to occupy Kobani and crush its revolution, but the fighters never lost faith or abandoned one another. “They wanted to destroy what our people had built, but we resisted with all our power. We had only one option victory,” Oso said. He recalled a memory from the frontlines: “During the battle, my comrade Rodi told me, ‘We will keep our promise to our people until victory.’ He was later martyred, and we, his comrades, vowed to continue on the path of the martyrs and achieve the goal they fought for victory.”

Oso also described the fierce clashes in Ali Shar village, saying, “There were only five of us. After I was wounded, my comrades sent me to Northern Kurdistan for treatment. As soon as I recovered, I returned to join the fight again. We struck painful blows against the enemy in rain and freezing cold, and our resistance spread fear in their hearts.”

Speaking about the battle for Mistenur Hill, Oso said that when ISIS seized the strategic height, the women fighters among them the martyr Arin Mirkan showed through their sacrifices that they would never allow their land to fall into enemy hands. “Every street and neighborhood in Kobani bears witness to struggle and sacrifice. The city lived through a truly historic resistance,” he said.

He went on to explain that after Leader Abdullah Ocalan’s call for general mobilization, “the hearts of the people everywhere beat for freedom and victory, and they rushed to Kobani. This high morale inspired the YPG and YPJ fighters to fight with even greater strength and ultimately defeat ISIS. Through this victory, Kobani left an indelible mark in history with the blood of its martyrs.”

At the end of his statement, Mohammed Oso extended his congratulations to the heroes of freedom, Leader Abdullah Ocalan, the fighters of the YPG and YPJ, the free people, and all of Kurdistan on November 1 World Kobani Solidarity Day. He affirmed, “We will always follow in the footsteps of our martyrs and continue to liberate our land from the enemy.”

ANHA