'We are still at war': Syria's Kurds battle Turkey months after Assad's fall

To scope north-east Syria, we transverse a rickety floating span implicit the River Tigris. Our minibus rattles arsenic it takes america from Iraqi Kurdistan done Syrian lipid fields, wherever jacks pumping crude lipid enactment the roads.

This portion of Syria is controlled by Kurds, who telephone it Rojava - meaning occidental Kurdistan. Since 2012, aft the outbreak of civilian war, they person tally it arsenic a self-declared autonomous region, protected by Kurdish-led equipped forces.

But Bashar al-Assad's authorities ne'er recognised it and, contempt his autumn from power, its aboriginal remains uncertain.

As good arsenic much than a decennary of civilian war, the Syrian Kurds person faced years of struggle with its bluish neighbour, Turkey - a conflict they are inactive fighting.

A decennary ago, the Islamic State radical (IS) swept done this region, capturing cities and villages with small absorption - until it reached the metropolis of Kobane, adjacent to the Turkish border, successful September 2014.

IS militants didn't negociate to participate the city, but they imposed a brutal siege that lasted for months.

Kurdish-led factions, supported by the US-led subject coalition, broke the siege successful aboriginal 2015. This January, I articulation the city's residents arsenic they people the 10-year anniversary.

At the entranceway to Kobane, women successful their 50s, equipped with AK-47 battle rifles, defender the checkpoints. Women played a important relation successful the combat against IS - galore volunteered successful the all-female Women's Protection Units (YPJ).

As we thrust astir the city, the scars of warfare are inactive visible, on with posters of young men and women who mislaid their lives.

But successful the main square, the temper is festive. Young girls and boys, dressed successful colourful Kurdish outfits creation manus successful hand, singing arsenic they celebrate.

For the older generation, though, it is simply a bittersweet moment. "Last nighttime I lit candles for my martyred member and others killed successful Kobane," says Newrouz Ahmad, a 45-year-old parent of four. "It is simply a joyful day, but besides a achy one. I privation helium was present to spot it."

The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declared triumph implicit IS successful north-east Syria successful 2019. But state from IS hasn't brought lasting peace.

Turkey and a conjugation of Turkish-backed rebel groups known arsenic the Syrian National Army (SNA) person launched respective subject operations against SDF-controlled territories since 2016, and captured a swathe of territory moving on hundreds of kilometres of the border.

Turkey considers the largest constituent successful the SDF - the People's Protection Units (YPG) - an hold of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought for Kurdish autonomy successful Turkey for decades and is listed by Ankara arsenic a violent organisation. The state wants to propulsion the SDF backmost from its border.

As the Assad authorities collapsed successful precocious 2024, the Turkish-backed SNA launched a caller violative to seizure territory westbound of the River Euphrates from the SDF.

Now battles person reached areas adjacent Kobane. A Kurdish commandant successful the metropolis softly tells me: "Don't movie here, we person built tunnels beneath the metropolis to hole for different siege."

In the city, the odor of gasoline fills the air, and the deafening dependable of generators tin beryllium heard everywhere. Locals archer maine that astir of the powerfulness stations, refineries, and adjacent telecommunications antennas person been destroyed by Turkish aerial strikes implicit the past 2 years.

Newrouz Ahmad says that having "defeated IS successful Kobane… we won't let Turkey and its proxies to inhabit our city, we volition decision them too".

At a restaurant, the infinitesimal radical realise we are not locals, they situation us. I inquire an aged antheral with grey hairsbreadth and a instrumentality successful his hands however aged helium is. I conjecture helium is astir 80, but the reply helium gives embarrasses me. "I americium 60," helium says.

It's wide that radical present person been exhausted by war, having witnessed truthful overmuch decease and bloodshed.

And present the menace of different conflict is looming.

Turkish-made drones and Turkish jets person targeted SDF positions and proviso routes astir the city. Even civilians protesting person been hit.

In a determination hospital, I find 1 of the wounded - Lea Bunse, a 28-year-old German bid activistic who has been volunteering astatine a women's structure successful Rojava for implicit 2 years.

She shows maine a video of an onslaught connected a objection she says she was portion of successful January. The footage shows 2 projectiles dropping from the entity and hitting a assemblage of radical dancing.

The protestation was held adjacent the strategical Tishreen Dam, wherever warring has been ongoing. The SDF says six civilians were killed, and dozens much injured.

"An aged antheral adjacent to maine was besides injured," she tells maine from her bed.

"I mislaid immoderate blood… but erstwhile we got into the ambulance, different drone onslaught was carried retired adjacent to our ambulance," she adds.

Human Rights Watch has condemned an onslaught that deed a Kurdish Red Crescent ambulance arsenic an "apparent warfare crime" by the Turkish-SNA coalition.

The Turkish overseas ministry told the BBC that "reports claiming Turkey is progressive successful the attacks against civilians and captious infrastructure bash not bespeak the truth" adding that the SDF sends civilians to a "conflict-ridden country connected purpose" to usage them arsenic "human shields… successful bid to not to suffer power connected the said dam".

It accused the SDF of utilizing "violence and terror" to prosecute "its ain separatist agenda", violating a ceasefire and stopping method teams from getting entree to the dam for repairs.

Syria's caller leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, is stuck betwixt a stone and a hard place.

The interim president - whose Islamist radical Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led the rebel violative that overthrew Assad - has been promising to signifier an inclusive authorities successful Damascus, and helium has asked each equipped factions to laic down their weapons. Negotiations are reportedly being held with the SDF to find a solution for the north-east.

But the inclusion of the Kurdish factions puts Sharaa successful a hard presumption with 1 of his main allies – Turkey.

And erstwhile Sharaa opened a league for nationalist dialog connected Syria's aboriginal connected Tuesday, the Kurdish autonomous medication was absent - it said it had not been invited.

Speaking to maine from a discreet determination adjacent an American basal successful Hassakeh state successful the north-east of Syria, SDF commandant Gen Mazloum Abdi tells maine helium has met Sharaa successful Damascus before.

But the 2 sides person inactive not reached an agreement.

"In reality, we are inactive astatine warfare with Turkey and its proxies. Turkish jets and drones proceed to weaponry us," helium says, adding: "In Damascus, it remains unclear what steps the caller authorities volition take. Their statements are positive, but they are nether unit from Turkey to enactment against the areas nether our control.

"But the US, France, and immoderate Arab nations are pushing them to admit Kurdish rights," helium says.

For the US, SDF fighters person been the astir reliable allies successful the combat against IS.

Today, hundreds of US troops stay successful Kurdish-controlled areas, to antagonistic IS sleeper cells.

But the Kurds present fearfulness President Donald Trump mightiness retreat these troops, leaving the portion susceptible to immoderate Turkish subject operation, and a imaginable IS resurgence.

It's estimated that determination are inactive astir 40,000 IS household members and up to 10,000 jihadist fighters held successful SDF-controlled camps and prisons successful the north-east, says Gen Abdi.

"If Turkey attacks, we volition person nary prime but to redirect our forces," helium warns. "That would springiness IS an accidental to onslaught prisons and escaped its fighters."

There is further uncertainty for the women who fought against IS successful the all-female YPJ ranks.

The walls successful the bureau of 29-year-old YPJ spokesperson Roksana Mohamed are covered with pictures of chap pistillate commanders killed successful battle.

"So far, we haven't seen immoderate roles fixed to women successful Damascus' caller leadership," she says. "Why shouldn't a pistillate beryllium defence minister?"

Ms Mohamed says women fought for their rights successful this region. They person been actively progressive successful each facet of political, social, and subject life.

"If our rights are not respected, however tin we beryllium expected to laic down our arms?" she asks.

So portion immoderate judge stableness successful Syria is connected the horizon, for the Kurds, the aboriginal remains unclear. Will they beryllium recognised arsenic partners successful a caller Syria, oregon look different existential battle?