Al-Shami, Leila

Al-Shami, Leila

Leila Al-Shami

25 November 2014Feature

International attention has focused recently on Kobani/Kobane, a Syrian Kurdish town on the border with Turkey, besieged by the al-Qa’eda splinter group ISIS (known to opponents by its Arabic acronym ‘Daesh’). Here a well-informed non-pacifist anarchist explains some of the background to the conflict.

Kurdish protests against siege of Kobane by ISIS in Bologna, Italy on Global day for Kobane. November 1st 2014. Photo: Petar Miloševic

The heroic resistance of the people of Kobane in fighting the onslaught of the Daesh (ISIS) fascists since mid-September, has led to a surge of international solidarity. A multitude of articles and statements have been written and protests have been held in cities across the world. Kurds have flooded across the Turkish border to help their compatriots in the…