A year since the collapse of “Islamic State” in the north of Syria – Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) the battle of separation – and 3000 people killed in a year of clashes and shelling
A year since the collapse of “Islamic State” in the north of Syria
Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) the battle of separation
BY RAMI ABDURRAHMAN (OSSAMA SULEIMAN)
Today, the 16th of September, marks the first anniversary of the “Islamic State” attack on Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) area and its city, where at the same day of the last year the countryside of the city witnessed an attack launched by hundreds of IS militants on the villages located in the southern and southeastern countryside leading to rapid control over dozens of villages by IS that enforced YPG to retreat towards the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani, while some groups of YPG stayed fighting IS in order to delay IS progress until they secured the civilian fleeing from the clashes and IS shelling that targeted the YPG-held villages.
In early October in 2014, IS militants could seize more than 356 villages, farms and towns in the countryside of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) city, where they reached to the outskirts of the city. Seizing these villages resulted in the escape and displacing of more than 300000 people from Ayn al- Arab (Kobani), while dozens of cattle, cars tractors and vehicles were stolen from their owners who fled fearing of being killed by IS militants, thousands of houses were looted too. Civilians flee accompanied by obstructing them by the Turkish authorities to cross towards the Turkish side. Meanwhile, the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) witnessed daily fall of dozens of shells leaving dozens of deaths and injuries, accompanied by detonating dozens of booby-trapped vehicles by IS and carrying out suicide bombs by IS militants using explosive belts during the clashes that confined in an area of about 3 km2 for more than 2 months. A female commander in the Women Protection Units of YPG also attacked an IS gathering on the eastern outskirts of the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani), where she clashed with IS militants throwing grenades on them, then she blew herself up. The city also witnessed violent guerrilla war between YPG and Asayish fighters against IS extremists accompanied by timid intervention, at the beginning, by US-led coalition that targeted IS vehicles, posts and positions. In October 8, US-led coalition warplanes started their first airstrikes on IS militants inside the city, while IS tried repeatedly to advance, enter and besiege the city from the northern direction that was opened to border with Turkey but YPG could repel them. In late October, about 50 fighters of the rebel factions participated the YPG fighters in fighting IS after a day of entering the Peshmerga forces with their military hardware and more than 20 military vehicles.
In November 11, Trustworthy resources from al- Raqqa city informed SOHR that Islamic State is going to mobilize its fighters in the countryside of Homs and Hama in order to achieve victories in these two provinces to the detriment of the regime forces as a mean of bolstering supporters’ morale which starts to demoralize due to the fail of seizing the city of Kobani, and in order to establish a popular base for them because of being fighting the “Infidel Nusayri Regime”. The same sources informed SOHR that a very important military leader in IS said that IS militants shocked by the fierce resistance of the YPG fighters although they detonated more than 20 booby- trapped vehicles, and that they thought that everything will end in days or few weeks after storming the city. He also said that the battle of Kobani has drained hundreds of IS fighters.
In November, YPG started the battle of al- Khat al- Mostaqim (the straight line) that spread along on line from the Syrian – Turkish border to the south and southwest of the city, and supported by intense and accurate strikes by US-led coalition warplanes. Progressing simultaneously on several fronts, the clashes witnessed violent explosions and guerilla war. The coalition airstrikes enabled YPG to achieve rapid advancement and decrease IS-held area in the city until YPG, Asayish and the Syrian rebel factions, backed by the Peshmerga forces, which participated in targeting IS vehicles and strongholds in full coordination with YPG, started to retake the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani).
In January 25, 2015, YPG, under the command of Mahmoud Barkhadan and backed by Asayish, the Peshmerga forces, the Syrian rebel factions and US-led coalition warplanes, could expel IS from the whole city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) declaring the first collapse of “Islamic State” in the north of Syria, where IS organization sent the first battalion of “cubs of the caliphate” consisting of 140 members, vast majority under the age of 18 and from those who joined newly to the training camps of IS, to the battlefronts around the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani).
YPG and allied fighters, supported by the coalition warplanes, continued in advancing in the western, southern and southeastern countryside of Ayn al- Arab, where they could retake the whole western countryside of the city in March 6, continuing their advancement in the southeastern countryside until they could take control over the strategic and border city of Tal Abyad with Turkey in July 8, 2015 and the town of Serrin in the south of Ayn al- Arab in July 27. Thus, they could retake the whole villages that they lost them since the start of IS attack on Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) area in September 16, 2014.
In June 25, Dozens of IS militants attacked the city of Ayn al- Arab, where they could seize some neighborhoods and kill 223 Kurdish civilians, including 83 children and women, most of them from the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) and village of Botan, while dozens of YPG and Asayish fighters were killed in the attack, 79 IS extremists were also killed, some arrested and others escaped.
The clashes, shelling and executions carried out by IS resulted in the death of 2935 people since September 16,2014 until May 16, 2015, where SOHR could document the death of 309 Kurdish civilians, including 95 children and women, killed by IS shelling and executions in the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) and its countryside as well as in explosion of landmines planted by IS before they retreated from the city and its countryside.
In addition to, 1816 IS extremists of Syrian, Arab and foreign nationalities killed in shelling, ambushes, targeting their vehicles, storming a female commander from YPG an IS gathering and clashes with YPG, Asayish and the allied rebel factions in the areas of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani), Ayn Isa, Tal Abyad, Serrin and al- Sharakrak, dozens of them committed suicide bombings using explosive belts and booby-trapped vehicles.
Meanwhile, 758 fighters of YPG and Asayish, including a female commander in the Women Protection Units of YPG, killed clashes with IS militants, shelling, detonating booby-trapped vehicles and suicide bombings carried out by IS in the areas of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani), Ayn Isa, Tal Abyad, Serrin and al- Sharakrak.
36 fighters from the rebel factions also killed in clashes with IS in the areas of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani), Ayn Isa, Tal Abyad, Serrin and al- Sharakrak and in explosion of landmines.
A volunteer with YPG also killed due to targeting him by IS when he was transporting ammo in one of the battlefronts in the city of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani).
3 armed villagers killed in attack and clashes with IS in the village of Sali in the south of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani) city, where the sources reported to SOHE that IS beheaded one of them.
In addition to, 11 armed villagers loyal to IS killed in clashes with YPG in the south and west of the city Ayn al- Arab (Kobani).
A defected captain pledged allegiance to IS killed in clashes with YPG in the city Ayn al- Arab (Kobani).
On the other hand, 982 IS extremists killed in the intense airstrikes carried out by US-led coalition warplanes in in the areas of Ayn al- Arab (Kobani), Ayn Isa, Tal Abyad, Serrin and al- Sharakrak a year ago.
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