Syrian Arab Village Welcomes Kurdish Fighters
Villagers consider arrival of Kurdish People's Defense Units (YPG) forces a liberation in light of the presence of al-Qaeda-affiliated groups.
ALOUK, Syria — In the northeast of Syria, near the border with Turkey, Kurdish fighters of the People’s Defense Units (YPG) captured the Arab village of Alouk, close to the Kurdish-Arab inhabited city of Ras al-Ain (in Kurdish known as Serekaniye) from al-Qaeda-linked groups after on Sept. 14-18. The Arab villagers are thankful for the YPG support. “If there was no YPG, none of us would be here,” said villager Abu Hamza Kamal.
The mixed city of Ras al-Ain was taken over by YPG fighters July 16, after days of tension between Islamist fighters and the Kurds. The city was divided in a YPG- and an Islamist-controlled zone after agreement was reached Feb. 17 between the different factions. After the YPG took over, Turkey closed the border and sealed it off.
