As Turkish-backed forces continue to launch assaults in Kobani (Kobanê), residents have taken to the streets, recalling the spirit of resistance which led them to a historic victory against an ISIS siege on the northern Syrian town in 2014. There are former ISIS fighters among the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA), sparking an atmosphere of defiance against a return of that terror.

In the heart of Kobani (Kobanê) in northern Syria, thousands of people have risen in defiance against the relentless aggression and attacks from the Turkish state and its Syrian National Army (SNA) proxies, staging a massive march through the streets on Monday 16 December. A collective memory of the historic victory against ISIS in 2014, when Kurdish forces liberated their city from the clutches of terror, continues to fuel the people’s resistance.

In today’s demonstration, the Kobani residents protesting against Turkish aggression and assaults by SNA militias are sending one message: “The ground soaked in the blood of martyrs will never again be desecrated by forces that seek to rewrite our history with violence and oppression.”

The martyrs of Kobani, who stood firm during the brutal siege, are honoured daily. Their sacrifices are remembered and their spirit is deeply embedded in the community as their struggle for peace and freedom continues, and any idea that ISIS could be revived in the guise of other forces is seen as a grave mistake.

Reporting from Kobani, a Ronahi TV correspondent said that the people of the city have vowed to lead a fierce resistance in defence of their city, together with the Kurdish-led Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Protection Unit (YPJ).