Peoples’ Operation To Liberate Girê Spî From ISIS

The people of Rojava have launched a final push to drive ISIS gangs from the lands of Girê Spî (Til Abyad), says a new article from Özgür Gündem with contributions from staff writers and Ersin Çaksu. The operation, which is being coordinated from both the Cizîrê and Kobanê cantons, includes forces belonging to all the peoples of the region. The Burkan El Firat – a joint operations command which includes the YPG and local FSA groups – has responded to slander about the operation from Turkey and Syrian National Council, stating that ‘we are determined to remove this cancerous cell.’

We Will Liberate Girê Spî

The peoples of Rojava have launched a final operation to drive ISIS from the region between the Cizîrê and Kobanê cantons. Kurds, Arabs, Syriacs, Assyrians and other local peoples are taking part in the operation to push ISIS from an area which it has used to launch attacks against civilians. The operation follows a series of successful operations carried out by YPG/YPJ forces in the west of the Cizîrê canton and also includes YPG/YPJ forces operating within the Burkan El Firat in the east of Kobanê.

The Operation Is Underway

According to information obtained in the region the operation to push ISIS gangs from Girê Spî is to all extensive purposes underway. As the operation was beginning ISIS gangs have begun to evacuate civilians from nearby villages and to use local Arab civilians as human shields. In the village of Nustel ISIS fighters massacred close to 100 civilians after they refused to be used as human shields. Following these events civilians have begun to flee from surrounding villages.

Operation Of The Peoples

Following the initial success of the “Komutan Rûbar Qamişlo Push’ in which forces from the  Cizîrê canton successfully liberated the Alya region, Kizwan mountain and Mebruka the second phase of the operation has now begun as forces push east toward Girê Spî. Despite slanderous accusations about the operation from certain powers such as Turkey the operation is going forward with the full support and participation of the local population.

The Following Forces Are Taking Part In The Operation:

YPG and YPJ Forces

Rojava Asayish Forces

Senadit Forces (the military force of local Arab tribes)

The Syriac Military Council

Sutoro

Natora

Zêrevanên Xabûr (Local Assyrian/Syria defense forces)

Liwa El-Tahrir (the branch of the Burkan El Fırat within the Cizîrê canton)

The Role of Burkan el Firat

To the east of the Kobanê the push to liberate Girê Spî is under the joint command of the Burkan el Firat, which was formed on September 10th 2014 in order to coordinate the struggle against ISIS. Most of the groups within the Burkan el Firat are also members of the Free Syrian Army (FSA). The joint command encompasses the following groups:

Liva El Tevhid

Liva El Siwar El Raka

Şems El Şemal battalions attached to the Fecir El Huriye Brigades

YPG/YPJ Forces

Seraya Cerablus

Liva Cephet El-Ekrad

Siwar Umunaa El Raka

El Kasas Army

Liva El Cihad Fi Sebilillah.

Turkey Spreading Lies About The Operation

As the YPG is hitting against ISIS, Turkey has leveled accusations of ethnic cleansing against Arabs and Turkmen in order to distract attention from the defeat being suffered by its proxy in the area. The YPG offered a stinging response to the statements of both the Turkish deputy Prime Minister Yalçın Akdoğan and the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), which is based in Istanbul and which the YPG accused of being in cooperation with ISIS. In strongly worded statement the YPG said “the statements and approach of the Syrian Coalition has made it clear that it is another face of ISIS. Right now other than the clothes and uniforms they wear there is no difference between ISIS and the coalition.”