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Kobane sisters sing from their hearts about loss and sorrow

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Kobane sisters sing from their hearts about loss and sorrow

PostAuthor: Anthea » Mon Nov 02, 2020 1:18 am

World Kobane Day 2020

Peace in Kurdistan Stands in Solidarity on World Kobane Day 2020

“Solidarity with Kobane, victory to Western Kurdistan, Freedom and Unity for All of Kurdistan”

World Kobane Day was launched by the Kurdish Freedom Movement and its supporters in response to the horrific news of Islamic State’s (ISIS) siege of the city of Kobane in late 2014. Kobane’s fate was a historic moment in the struggle of the Kurds, and it inspired a groundswell of international solidarity with the Kurdish people’s resistance.

The legacy of Kobane can never be forgotten. It represented a clash of two fundamentally conflicting views of the world in which we want to live. It was and remains a struggle for the future and at stake is the very nature of the world that we are creating.

The struggle of Kobane and the existence of Western Kurdistan (Rojava Kurdistani) communicates hope not only for the Kurdish people, but for all peoples who are looking for an alternative to the oppressive, destructive, conflict ridden world that treats human life and humane values as valueless and places society above the planet and its resources.

Kobane represents a new approach to running society, one that is founded on fullest participation in popular decision making, the pursuit of an inclusive, fairer, non-exploitative grassroots democratic organisation, where men and women are equal, people of all ethnic backgrounds and religions enjoy mutual respect, and where the common goal is the building of a new society based on cooperation :ymapplause:

The importance of World Kobane Day therefore should not be understated. The resistance in Kobane led by the young men and women freedom fighters of the YPG, YPJ and SDF inspired solidarity from people all over the world and the battle with ISIS became a symbol of our collective liberation as human beings. Kobane was the key event that first put the Western Kurdistan (Rojava Kurdistani) Revolution on the map. In short, it made history and lives on as long as hope lives.

Against formidable foes, in recent years, Kobane has been rebuilding; people forced to flee for their lives have returned. Buildings that were destroyed during the siege of the city are being rebuilt and essential infrastructure restored.

Kobane survives and the spirit of resistance generates hope despite all the destruction inflicted by its enemies amassed against it, especially the constant threats of military intervention from Turkey and its proxies. That is why Peace in Kurdistan supports Kobane and stands in solidarity with the Kurdish people in their historic struggle which is the struggle of all humanity.

The survival of Kobane and the building of Western Kurdistan are the hope of humanity that a better world is possible. The stakes cannot be higher. Six years on, we therefore extend our greetings to the men and women of Kobane and the entire Kurdish people as they honour the martyrs on this important anniversary.

Solidarity with Kobane, victory to Western Kurdistan, freedom for ALL Kurdistan. Peace in Kurdistan salutes World Kobane Day 2020.

Patrons:

John Austin, Baroness Blower of Starch Green, former GS NUT, Prof Bill Bowring, Julie Christie, Noam Chomsky, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Prof Mary Davis, Lord Dholakia, Simon Dubbins, UNITE International Director, Jill Evans, former MEP, Desmond Fernandes, Lindsey German, Convenor STWC, Melanie Gingell, Christopher Gingell, Prof Dr. Michael Gunter, Secretary-General, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC), Rahila Gupta, journalist, Nick Hildyard, policy advisor, Dafydd Iwan, Former President Plaid Cymru, James Kelman, Bruce Kent, Jean Lambert, former MEP, Dr Les Levidow, Open University, Elfyn Llwyd, Aonghas MacNeacail, Scottish Gaelic poet, Mike Mansfield QC, David Morgan, journalist, Doug Nicholls, General Secretary, GFTU, Dr. Jessica Ayesha Northey, Sinn Fein MLA Conor Murphy, Dr Thomas Jeffrey Miley, Kate Osamor MP, Margaret Owen OBE, Ali Gul Ozbek, Former Councillor and Mayor of Haringey; Gareth Peirce, Dr Felix Padel, Maxine Peake, actor, Dr Thomas Phillips, Liverpool John Moores University, Trevor Rayne, writer, Joe Ryan, Tony Simpson, Bertrand Russell Peace Foundation, Stephen Smellie, PIK Trade Union Liaison Officer, Jonathan Steele, journalist, Steve Sweeney, journalist, Gianni Tognoni, General Secretary Permanent People’s Tribunal, Dr Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, Dr Tom Wakeford, Dr Derek Wall, Julie Ward, former MEP, Kariane Westrheim, Chair, EU Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC); Hywel Williams MP.

https://www.peaceinkurdistancampaign.co ... -day-2020/
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Kobane sisters sing from their hearts about loss and sorrow

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Re: World Kobane Day 2020

PostAuthor: Anthea » Wed Jan 27, 2021 3:17 am

Kurdish leaders celebrate sixth
anniversary of Kobane liberation


On Tuesday top Kurdish officials and military commanders in Western Kurdistan celebrated the sixth anniversary of Kobane liberation from the Islamic State (ISIS)

“I congratulate all the people of Kurdistan and all freedom lovers in the world for the anniversary of the legendary liberation of Kobane,” Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani said in a tweet, thanking the international coalition for their support.

The Region’s prime minister Masrour Barzani said “it was a transcendent moment that brought together the Kurdish people against a common enemy,” referring to the deployment of Peshmerga fighters to fight ISIS alongside the People’s Protection Units (YPG).

“It is a powerful reminder of what we can achieve through unity and cooperation,” he added.

ISIS militants seized control of swathes of Syria and Iraq in 2014. In mid-September that year, ISIS began laying siege to Kobane, in Syria’s Aleppo province, taking village after village as they slowly tightened a noose around the city. Thousands of civilians fled across the border to Turkey.
    Slowly taking village after village as they slowly tightened a noose around Kobane
    While the entire world did NOTHING to prevent ISIS entering the city. And Turkish troops/tanks were stationed along the border watching ISIS advance but also failing to prevent ISIS entering the city
With the help of the coalition and Peshmerga forces, the YPG defeated ISIS militants in the city on January 26, 2015. This was the first major military defeat of ISIS, and Kobane made headlines around the world, becoming a symbol of victory over the terror group.

The YPG is the backbone of the multi-ethnic Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - the coalition's only ally on the ground in Syria.

“We will continue our struggle so that the hopes of our people in Afrin, Gire Spi (Tel Abyad) and Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain) come true,” said SDF Commander Mazloum Abdi, referring to three Kurdish-majority towns invaded by Turkey and its Syrian proxies in 2018 and 2019.

The weeks of battle to free Kobane left some 70 percent of the city destroyed. (Much of the destruction caused by coalition bombing in an attempt to rid Kobane of ISIS) The local population and authorities have slowly brought life back to the city, reconstructing houses and roads and restoring basic services.

Coalition spokesperson Col. Wayne Marrotto, remembered the liberation in a tweet, saying, “On January 26, 2015 Kurdish fighters, supported by @CJTFOIR air strikes, liberated Kobani & showed that Daesh wasn’t invincible & denied them a strategic objective. Congratulations to the Kurds for being an example of a reliable, & capable partner.”

He later told Rudaw that “Daesh [ISIS] is resilient and remains a serious challenge but relentless pressure by our partner forces in the ISF, SDF, and Peshmerga forces will prevent a re-emergence of Daesh.”

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /260120211
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Re: Kurds celebrate sixth anniversary of Kobane liberation

PostAuthor: Anthea » Sun Jun 27, 2021 1:53 pm

​​​​​​​How did Turkey contribute to Kobane massacre

Turkey has always tried by various means to undermine the will and resistance of the region's people by supporting extremist and mercenary organizations such as ISIS, Al-Nusra and the so-called "Free Army" and moving them against the Autonomous Administration areas

But the massacre of Kobane and Barkh Batan village may be one of the bloodiest events on the Syrian geography. On June 25, 2015, dozens of ISIS mercenaries infiltrated Barkh Batan village and Kobane city, and committed a horrific massacre against civilians, killing 233 people, including 27 civilians from the village.

At the time, Turkey was accused, especially since there were those who saw ISIS elements infiltrate through Turkish territory into Kobane city to kill civilians, and the information was received that Turkey had already known of ISIS' intentions to commit the massacre, which raises many questions about the nature of the Turkish role in perpetrating this bloody operation.

Why Kobane?

Kobane, the Syrian Kurdish city located in the north and east of Syria on the Syrian-Turkish border is 30 kilometers east of the Euphrates River and about 150 kilometers north-east of Aleppo.

Kobane was liberated from Syrian government forces on July 19, 2012 to be the first Kurdish city liberated from government control.

Kobane people established an autonomous administration and their own military forces, similar to the regions of Afrin and Al-Jazira, but this did not appeal to regional and local parties such as Turkey and its arms on the Syrian geography, so several parties began to stalk the Autonomous Administration that was announced in Al-Jazira, Kobane and Afrin during January in 2014.

Starting with the so-called "Free Army", through Jabhet al-Nusra (currently Hayet Tahrir Al-Sham), and ending with ISIS, several parties attacked Kobane city, but the decisive battle was with ISIS which launched a massive attack on Kobane and its villages on September 15/16, 2014. Soon, they took control of most of the villages and more than half of the city's area, but the People's Protection Units (YPG) and Women's Protection Units (YPJ) defended the city and liberated it 134 days after continuous battles, for ISIS to be officially expelled from the city on January 26, 2015.

Thus, the People's Protection Units and Women's Protection Units continued to liberate all villages in Kobane countryside gradually, reaching Girê Spî / Tel Abyad east of Kobane city, Ain Issa south-east of Kobane, and Sarin district countryside south of the city. Then, the people began to gradually return to the city and its countryside, and life began to pulse again in Kobane streets, neighborhoods and countryside.

However, after the defeats it suffered, ISIS infiltrated Kobane city, and committed a horrific massacre against civilians in retaliation for its defeats, and behind it was Turkey which wanted revenge against the region's people who thwarted its plans, which it wanted to implement in cooperation with ISIS and other agents on the Syrian geography.

The process of storming the city, its countryside and committing the massacre

On the 25th of June, ISIS mercenaries stormed Kobane city and a number of its villages around 04:00 am, committing horrific massacres that varied between direct killing, in addition to sniping and suicide bombings, according to eyewitnesses.

ISIS mercenaries remained holed up in the neighborhoods they entered and civilians were trapped for nearly three days until the People's Protection Units and Women managed at that time to liberate them outside the city, while hundreds of families remained stuck on the Turkish border for two nights in succession, and hundreds as well were stuck in the west of Kobane city.

The massacre rose to the level of genocide

The most heinous methods of violence and criminality against humanity which are internationally prohibited were used by ISIS, such as slaughter, burning and mutilation of human bodies, which left a large number of innocent and defenseless civilian victims. The Autonomous Administration documented 333 people who were martyred as a result of the massacre, including about 27 martyrs of the Barkh Batan massacre, most of whom were children, women and the elderly.

According to several reports of humanitarian organizations, the massacre committed by ISIS mercenaries rose to the level of genocide against Kurds, given that the city is a Kurdish area.

The Kobane massacre was revenge for ISIS defeat

In this context, Co-chair of the Relations Office of the Democratic Union Party in the Euphrates region, Bakr Hajj Issa, says that "the Kobane massacre was in retaliation for the defeat of ISIS, the victory of Kobane people's resistance and the gains of YPG and YPJ. The Turkish state could not bear ​​Kobani's victory over its partner ISIS."

Bakr Hajj Issa confirms that the Turkish state had attempts to undermine the Kobane resistance, saying, "On 29,11,2014, during the resistance of Kobane people to ISIS brutal attacks, Turkey brought an armored vehicle from the Murshed Benar border crossing to Kobane to explode at the gate, leaving victims and injuries, but it was unable to defeat the people's resistance."

Bakr points out that this incident was Turkey's first attempt to undermine the people's resistance, but the second attempt was on June 25, 2015, committing a massacre via its mercenaries; however, the area's people managed to undermine the enemy's plans.

It is in Turkey's interest to undermine Kobane resistance

Hajj Issa believes that the aim of that massacre was to undermine the spirit of the Kobane resistance, in addition to instilling fear in the hearts of the people to displace them, and give the idea that Kobane is not safe and is still in danger of ISIS threatening, and that this idea was in the interest of Turkey by introducing Kobane to the world in this way.

He notes that these were the plans of the Turkish state to displace the people of the region and commit massacres against them, and that Turkey is still working according to that plan, which is evident through its occupation of several areas in north Syria and the perpetration of massacres and crimes against the region and its people, especially against women in the occupied Kurdish areas.

According to Co-chair of the Democratic Union Party’s Relations Office in the Euphrates region, Bakr Hajj Issa, these massacres illustrate the mentality of the Turkish state which throughout history has exterminated the Armenian, Assyrian and Kurdish people, and Turkey continues to do so until now.

Despite Turkey's involvement in many crimes and massacres committed against the people of the north and east of Syria, whether in the occupied areas or the rest of the Syrian regions, there is no international move to hold Turkey and Turkish officials accountable for their crimes.
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Re: ​​​​​​​How did Turkey contribute to Kobane massacre

PostAuthor: Anthea » Wed Nov 03, 2021 1:25 am

World Kobani Day 2021

US commission chair expresses concern over possible Turkish attack on Kobani
Wladimir van Wilgenburg

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) - Nadine Maenza, the chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (UCIRF), is concerned by reports that Turkey might be preparing for an attack on the northern Syrian Kurdish city of Kobani.

    Today is World #Kobani Day Celebrating their history defeat of #ISIS. I was honored to visit last Nov & April.
    ⁰The remarkable #ReligiousFreedom & gender equality conditions are currently at risk because of a threatened #Turkish invasion. US Gov should work to deter an attack. pic.twitter.com/vLO7abF1Ko
    — Nadine Maenza (@nadinemaenza) November 1, 2021
In a tweet on Monday, the anniversary of World Kobani Day, a day of solidarity with the struggle of the Kurds who defeated the self-styled Islamic State (IS) in the 2014 Battle of Kobani, Maenza underlined that the religious freedom and gender equality in the region are “at risk because of a threatened Turkish invasion.”

“The US gov (government) should work to deter an attack,” she said.

There are renewed fears that Turkey will launch another offensive operation against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned in early October that the Turkish military would eliminate all "threats" in northern Syria.

Last Saturday, UCIRF also expressed its concern over a possible Turkish operation.

“Turkey is seeking to isolate Kobani, a city of tremendous importance to the Kurdish leadership within the SDF, and place it under siege,” Nicholas Heras, a Senior Analyst and Program Head for State Resilience and Fragility at Newlines, told Kurdistan 24 on Tuesday.

“Ankara is looking to signal to the Syrian Kurds, and to the Russians and the Americans, that it is the shaping power in northern Syria.”

“Having visited Kobani in April and last November, I am troubled with reports that Turkey is considering Kobani as a target in a potential invasion,” Maenza told Kurdistan 24.

“This is the city that sacrificed many lives to stop the growth of the ISIS caliphate. One must admire their bravery and spirit! An invasion here would mean many civilian deaths and the destruction of this wonderful city,” she said.

“​​In past areas Turkey has invaded and now occupies, we see egregious crimes that include killings, rapes, kidnappings, forced conversations, arrests for apostasy, and the destruction of religious sites,” she added.

She also said that there is religious freedom in the areas under the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), Kobani and all of the Kurdish-controlled parts of Western Kurdistan.

“Muslims, Christians, Yazidis, and all religious minorities can practice their faith openly and even change their religious identity,” she said. “That would certainly change under Turkish occupation.”

“USCIRF is deeply concerned about the consequences of another Turkish invasion and urges the U.S. Government to immediately engage with Turkey to cease all hostilities,” she added. “The U.S. Government has many tools, including the threat of sanctions, that it can use to deter Turkey from another invasion.”

“While I hope there is not a serious threat on Kobani, one has to consider all the posturing from Turkey indicating they are preparing an invasion,” she concluded.

On Monday, Middle East Eye reported that Turkey and Russia are negotiating over a Turkish operation in the Kobani area. In return for Russia’s approval for such an operation, Turkey would hand over parts of territory in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib presently controlled by its army to the Syrian government.

There were also rumors the Turkish army and the Russian army had a meeting in Syria’s al-Bab on Tuesday to discuss a possible Turkish operation.

Turkey is seeking to isolate Kobani, a city of tremendous importance to the Kurdish leadership within the SDF, and place it under siege.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby told reporters on Monday that there “is a lot of speculation on military operations that, you know, are beyond our control here at the Pentagon. So, I don't have anything on these reports.”

“Members of the Syrian Democratic Forces are our partners in the fight against ISIS in Syria, we take that partnership seriously. We continue to work with them, specifically and solely on the ISIS threat in Syria,” he added.

“And it's our expectation that, that kind of cooperation and those operations will continue. As for what the Turks might or might not do, I would suggest you talk to the folks in Ankara about that.”

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/26 ... -on-Kobani
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Re: ​​​​​​​How did Turkey contribute to Kobane massacre

PostAuthor: Anthea » Mon Dec 27, 2021 10:43 pm

New Turkish attack on Kobane

Several members of a paramilitary group were killed in a recent suspected Turkish attack that targeted the Kurdish town of Kobane in Western Kurdistan, a military official said early Monday

Five members of the Revolutionary Youths were killed in a “Turkish raid that targeted the gathering of nine people of the youths organization [Revolutionary Youths] in a house3 in Kobane,” commander of the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) Mazloum Abdi tweeted.

A Turkish drone targeted Kobane on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said. However, the conflict monitor raised the death toll to six on Monday and three other injuries.

Turkey has not confirmed the offensive yet.

The Revolutionary Youth is believed to be affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and operates in the Kurdish area in Syria as a pressure group, intimidating those who are critical of the Kurdish administration.

The PKK is named a terrorist group in Turkey.

Ankara often targets Western Kurdistan, killing and injuring civilians and security forces.

It has conducted three military operations in northern Syria since 2016, two of them against Kurdish fighters whom it considers a branch of the PKK and a threat to its national security.

Suspected Turkish shelling killed four people in Zarkan district on Wednesday.

Turkey has been threatening a new offensive against Kurdish forces in Western Kurdistan in the recent months. But, Abdi earlier this month said Turkey is unable to undertake another “military adventure” against Rojava due to internal issues and international pressure.

https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeas ... /271220211
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Re: ​​​​​​​How did Turkey contribute to Kobane massacre

PostAuthor: Anthea » Sun Oct 30, 2022 10:59 pm

World Kobane Day

In a statement marking 1 November World Kobane Day, the women’s umbrella organization in North-East Syria, Kongra Star Coordination, said the following:

    “ISIS mercenaries attacked Kobanê with tanks and artillery with the support of the Turkish state in 2014 with the goal of eliminating the achievements of the Kurds and the region’s people. The president of the Turkish state said ‘Kobanê is about to fall
The people of Kobanê and freedom fighters resisted ISIS barbarism for 133 days and left their mark on the 21st century.

Arîn Mîrkan and Rêvana rejected the reactionary mindset, rape, violence, abduction and enslavement of women and turned the resistance of Kobanê into the resistance of free women with their self-sacrificing actions. The women’s resistance represented by Arîn Mîrkan and Rêvana has become an international symbol today. The Kobanê resistance led by YPG/YPJ grew and became an uprising of the conscience of all the world’s peoples. On this basis, support poured in for the Kurdish people and Kobanê. The international anti-ISIS Coalition was formed. This understanding served all humanity and ISIS was destroyed.

To avenge the defeat of ISIS this time, the Turkish state revealed its true face and occupied Afrin, Serekaniye and Gire Spi by use of banned and chemical weapons. Immoral crimes and crimes against humanity are committed in the occupied territories. From this point of view, a serious stand must be taken against the Turkish state that supports ISIS and its threat to humanity must be stopped because ISIS is preparing for a large scale attack on North and East Syrian regions and occupied areas.

We call on all libertarian peoples to struggle against the Turkish state in the spirit of 1 November World Kobanê Day. In the same way the peoples of the world got united against ISIS darkness and freed humanity from this threat, they should reclaim Kobanê and the peoples’ revolution in the same spirit for human dignity and destruction of ISIS, and support the SDF, YPG and YPJ.”
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Re: ​​​​​​​How did Turkey contribute to Kobane massacre

PostAuthor: Anthea » Sat Jan 28, 2023 10:30 pm

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Film “Kobanê” to be shown on Kurdish TV

The film Kobanê by the Rojava Kurdistani Film Commune will be broadcast on four different Kurdish TV channels.. The film tells the story of Kobanê's resistance against the Islamic State, which surrounded the city in September 2014. Kobanê has become a symbol of hope around the world. For 135 days, the People and Women Defense Units fought street by street and house by house to free the city. On 26 January 2015, the liberation of the city was announced

The film follows the life of Zehra, a 32-year-old fighter. When the commander of her unit flees, she takes the lead. With great effort, the Kurdish Defense Units YPJ/YPG succeed in breaking through the siege of Kobanê against the military superiority of the ISIS and in liberating the city.

Director Özlem Yaşar and screenwriter Medya Doz met with hundreds of witnesses and fighters to prepare the film. The film, which deals in particular with women's resistance, was shot in the northern Syrian cities of Kobanê and Tabqa. Filming was delayed due to the Turkish attacks on the autonomous region of Northern and Eastern Syria.

The cast of the film "Kobanê" consists mainly of YPG and YPJ fighters who participated in the liberation of the city. For example, Awar Ali, one of the main actors who plays fighter Gelhat, as well as some members of Abu Leyla's Shams Al-Shamal Brigade. Secondary characters such as the mothers who cooked food for the front, teams from the military emergency medicine or those who dug graves for the dead also play themselves.

The film is in Kurdish and has already been shown in various cinemas in Germany with English subtitles. The gala was on 20 September 2022 in Kobanê.

The film will be shown on Ronahî TV and Stêrk TV, and on Jin TV and Medya Haber
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Re: Film “Kobanê” to be shown on four Kurdish TV channels

PostAuthor: Anthea » Fri Jun 02, 2023 1:37 pm

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Sisters sing of Kurdish sorrow

When the Syrian Kurdish sisters Perwin and Norshean Salih sing about loss, it comes from the heart

Aged in their early 20s, they have twice been driven from their family home in the northern Syrian town of Kobane -- once by the Islamic State group, and again by the threat of Turkish bombs.

Now they have found a safe haven in northern Iraq's Kurdish region, where they carve out a living by performing the often melancholy music of their people in a restaurant.

"Kurdish folk songs are our favourite type of music," said Perwin Salih, 20, who plays the santoor, tambourine and Armenian flute. "They tell the plight of the Kurds, the wars, the tragedy of displacement and the killings."

The Kurds, a non-Arab ethnic group of between 25 million and 35 million people, are spread mainly across Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran, with no state of their own.

They have long complained of oppression but endured special horrors during Syria's 12-year civil war, especially the onslaught of ISIS.

When the jihadists attacked Kobane in late 2014, and heavy fighting turned the town into a symbol of Kurdish resistance, the sisters fled across the border to Turkey.

After several unhappy months in Istanbul, they moved to the mainly Kurdish city of Diyarbakir in Turkey's southeast where they continued their music studies.

They moved back home in 2019, after Syrian Kurdish-led forces drove IS out of their last territorial stronghold, with US backing.

Turkey has kept targeting parts of northern Syria in what Ankara says is a fight against Kurdish militants.

Once, the sisters say, mortar shells hit their family home, thankfully without exploding.

'ISIS still haunts my dreams'

Late last year, when Turkey launched major air and artillery strikes, the Salih sisters fled once more, this time to Iraq, where they and two more siblings now rent a modest two-room house in Arbil.

The two women said they grew up in a household of music lovers, with their mother singing to them before bedtime while their father played the tambourine.

But the trauma they have endured since has left deep scars.

"A vision of ISIS still haunts me," said Perwin. "Men in black clothes, holding black flags, on a quest to turn life itself black."

At a recent concert, Perwin played the flute while Norshean, 23, captivated the audience with a Kurdish folk tune about displacement.

"I am a stranger," she sang softly. "Without you, mother, my wings are broken. I am a stranger, and life abroad is like a prison."

Norshean, a classical music afficionado, also plays the piano, guitar and kamanja, an ancient Persian string instrument, and dreams of making it as a violinist.

But for now she has recurring nightmares of the jihadists.

"The ISIS still haunts my dreams," she told AFP.

'We cried while we played'

On their latest escape from Kobane, the sisters faced another nightmare.

At the border, Syrian soldiers demanded that they play, warning that they would confiscate the instruments if they didn't like the music.

"We cried while we played, and when we were done they smiled and said: now you can pass," recounted Norshean.

The sisters now mainly perform at a restaurant called Beroea, an ancient name for the once-vibrant Syrian city of Aleppo.

Co-owner Riyad Othman said he was not surprised by the dangers the women have had to face.

A Syrian Kurd himself, he said his people "spend their entire life fleeing, estranged and suffering".

The wandering sisters dream of one day returning home.

"I hope ... the war will end, so we can be free, so we can return to our homes to play music and teach music to the children," said Norshean.

"This will be good to revive people's souls."

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/story/31 ... ish-sorrow
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