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TURKEY CLOSES BORDER TO KURDISH VOLUNTEERS FOR KOBANE FIGHT
Thursday, October 2nd, 2014
http://asbarez.com/127535/turkey-closes-border-to-kurdish-volunteers-for-kobane-fight/
Turkish soldiers block a border crossing as Kurds gather to show
solidarity with Kurdish fighters in Kobane
ANKARA, Turkey (Rudaw)--Kurdish activists expressed outrage as the
Turkish military began preventing any young person from crossing the
border to fight Islamic militants in Syria, where Kurdish forces have
been fighting to save the city of Kobane.
Turkish troops were out in force in Mursitpinar, on the Turkish-Syrian
border that abuts Kobane.
"Kobane's fall means Kurdistan's fall," said Ferhat Encu, a 29-year-old
Turkish-Kurd from Sirnak.
"We can't sit here and just watch. I'm trying to get into Rojava
(Syrian Kurdistan), but the Turks have blocked the border," said Encu,
who was a frontier guard before leaving to fight for Kobane earlier
this month. He returned for a break, and now cannot go back.
The Turkish government fears young Kurds returning with military and
weapons skills, after fighting alongside the Kurdish People's Defence
Units (YPG), the main protection force in Rojava. That is because
of the group's links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK),
which has fought a 30-year war in Turkey for greater rights.
Selahattin Demirtas, a leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples'
Democratic Party (HDP) crossed the border into Kobane on Tuesday in
a visit of solidarity. He later called on the Turkish government to
support the fight of Syrian Kurds against ISIS. He said this was
an opportunity to strengthen Turkey's peace process with its own
Kurdish population.
"I want to go to Kobane and fight the IS, which is right now
butchering my people, but I can't," complained Hamo Sen, a 30-year-old
Turkish-Kurd from Urfa.
Media reports say that hundreds of young Kurdish men and women from
Turkey are believed to have crossed the border to fight. "Many young
people want to go to Rojava to join YPG against IS," Encu claimed.
Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, a fortnight ago urged
Kurds to "mass mobilize" against IS.
"Not only the people of Rojava, but also everyone in the North (Turkey)
and other parts of Kurdistan should act accordingly," he said in a
message sent through his lawyers.
The Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet recently reported that 30-year-old
Serdar Macit, a former Turkish archery champion, is among those who
have taken to Rojava to fight with the YPG against the militants.
"It is an honor to be a part of YPG, who are fighting against
injustice," Macit told Turkish media.
Many locals are convinced that Turkey - which has for years turned
a blind eye to Islamic militants using its territory for "jihad"
in Syria -- is actively supporting IS with heavy weaponry, medical
care and money.
Sen accused the Turkish authorities of double standards.
"They turn a blind eye to jihadists crossing into Rojava, while we
can't go there to fight for our people," Sen complained.
In New York last week for the UN General Assembly, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied backing the jihadists. Any support for
"any terrorist group is out of the question, as Turkey is a country
which has suffered heavily from terrorism in the past," he was quoted
as saying.
The US-led anti-IS coalition launched airstrikes targeting militant
strongholds on the outskirts of Kobane for the first time early
Saturday.
Tens of thousands have fled the IS assaults on Kobane that began
about 10 days ago, many washing across the Turkish border.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Thursday, October 2nd, 2014
http://asbarez.com/127535/turkey-closes-border-to-kurdish-volunteers-for-kobane-fight/
Turkish soldiers block a border crossing as Kurds gather to show
solidarity with Kurdish fighters in Kobane
ANKARA, Turkey (Rudaw)--Kurdish activists expressed outrage as the
Turkish military began preventing any young person from crossing the
border to fight Islamic militants in Syria, where Kurdish forces have
been fighting to save the city of Kobane.
Turkish troops were out in force in Mursitpinar, on the Turkish-Syrian
border that abuts Kobane.
"Kobane's fall means Kurdistan's fall," said Ferhat Encu, a 29-year-old
Turkish-Kurd from Sirnak.
"We can't sit here and just watch. I'm trying to get into Rojava
(Syrian Kurdistan), but the Turks have blocked the border," said Encu,
who was a frontier guard before leaving to fight for Kobane earlier
this month. He returned for a break, and now cannot go back.
The Turkish government fears young Kurds returning with military and
weapons skills, after fighting alongside the Kurdish People's Defence
Units (YPG), the main protection force in Rojava. That is because
of the group's links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK),
which has fought a 30-year war in Turkey for greater rights.
Selahattin Demirtas, a leader of Turkey's pro-Kurdish Peoples'
Democratic Party (HDP) crossed the border into Kobane on Tuesday in
a visit of solidarity. He later called on the Turkish government to
support the fight of Syrian Kurds against ISIS. He said this was
an opportunity to strengthen Turkey's peace process with its own
Kurdish population.
"I want to go to Kobane and fight the IS, which is right now
butchering my people, but I can't," complained Hamo Sen, a 30-year-old
Turkish-Kurd from Urfa.
Media reports say that hundreds of young Kurdish men and women from
Turkey are believed to have crossed the border to fight. "Many young
people want to go to Rojava to join YPG against IS," Encu claimed.
Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed leader of the PKK, a fortnight ago urged
Kurds to "mass mobilize" against IS.
"Not only the people of Rojava, but also everyone in the North (Turkey)
and other parts of Kurdistan should act accordingly," he said in a
message sent through his lawyers.
The Turkish newspaper Cumhuriyet recently reported that 30-year-old
Serdar Macit, a former Turkish archery champion, is among those who
have taken to Rojava to fight with the YPG against the militants.
"It is an honor to be a part of YPG, who are fighting against
injustice," Macit told Turkish media.
Many locals are convinced that Turkey - which has for years turned
a blind eye to Islamic militants using its territory for "jihad"
in Syria -- is actively supporting IS with heavy weaponry, medical
care and money.
Sen accused the Turkish authorities of double standards.
"They turn a blind eye to jihadists crossing into Rojava, while we
can't go there to fight for our people," Sen complained.
In New York last week for the UN General Assembly, Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan denied backing the jihadists. Any support for
"any terrorist group is out of the question, as Turkey is a country
which has suffered heavily from terrorism in the past," he was quoted
as saying.
The US-led anti-IS coalition launched airstrikes targeting militant
strongholds on the outskirts of Kobane for the first time early
Saturday.
Tens of thousands have fled the IS assaults on Kobane that began
about 10 days ago, many washing across the Turkish border.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress