WEBVTT 00:00:00.017 --> 00:00:05.077 Kobani, a city in northern Syria, which has become a symbol of resistance for many. 00:00:05.517 --> 00:00:11.377 Kobani is a city that nearly collapsed in 2014, but then the so-called Islamic 00:00:11.377 --> 00:00:13.857 State suffered its first major defeat there. 00:00:14.097 --> 00:00:18.237 Now Kobani is threatened again. But this time, the danger does not come from 00:00:18.237 --> 00:00:21.497 the Islamic State, but from Turkey and its Islamist allies. 00:00:21.897 --> 00:00:25.237 The Turkish army is conducting airstrikes in the region, attacks, 00:00:25.537 --> 00:00:29.657 civilians are dying, the so-called Syrian National Army is attacking on the ground. 00:00:30.017 --> 00:00:34.997 One who experiences this daily is Talal Sadun, who grew up in Kobani. 00:00:37.137 --> 00:00:42.257 We protected Europe, and now it's Europe's turn to help us. Countries like Canada, 00:00:42.477 --> 00:00:45.037 Germany, the US and France must protect us. 00:00:52.717 --> 00:00:57.677 In Crisis Mode, the podcast from Conflict Zones with Jan Jessen. 00:01:00.957 --> 00:01:04.237 Welcome to In Crisis Mode. My name is Jan Jessen. 00:01:04.537 --> 00:01:07.957 I am a war and crisis reporter for the Funke Media Group. For this episode, 00:01:08.197 --> 00:01:09.797 I have been traveling in Syria. 00:01:10.357 --> 00:01:14.197 Specifically in the north of the country, more precisely in Kobani, 00:01:14.357 --> 00:01:18.337 and I am talking to the people here about an escalation in the country, 00:01:18.337 --> 00:01:23.077 which began even before the fall of Assad in December and is still continuing now, 00:01:23.277 --> 00:01:27.177 and I meet survivors who have already risked their lives for this city once 00:01:27.177 --> 00:01:29.017 and may have to do so again. 00:01:29.017 --> 00:01:33.857 Wir fragen uns, will Kobani hold out, oder ist ein neues Disaster looming? 00:01:34.097 --> 00:01:38.197 Vielleicht muss es sich erklären, dass Kobani, als ich in den Beginn sagte, 00:01:38.197 --> 00:01:42.857 ist ein Stadt, das sich ein Symbol des Registens gegen den so-calleden Islamic 00:01:42.857 --> 00:01:45.477 State, die IS, wie viele andere. 00:01:45.777 --> 00:01:49.677 Diese Terrorist-Organisation hat in den Kontrollen von large parts von Irak 00:01:49.677 --> 00:01:54.537 und Syrien in 2014 und 2015, a region der Größe der Great Britain, 00:01:54.697 --> 00:01:57.197 und hat es als Terror-Caliphate dort gemacht. 00:01:57.197 --> 00:02:00.217 Sie hat mit den ZDF gemacht, hat mit den ZDF gemacht, 00:02:00.697 --> 00:02:05.277 hat mit den Yazidis gemacht, und hat mit den ZDF gemacht, und hat mit den ZDF 00:02:05.277 --> 00:02:09.137 gemacht, und eine der Fiercest-Opponnenten in den Kampf gegen den so-called 00:02:09.137 --> 00:02:14.197 Islamic State war die Kurds in den nord der Land, in den nord der Syrien. 00:02:14.197 --> 00:02:18.337 They fiercely defended themselves against AIS and became one of the closest 00:02:18.337 --> 00:02:21.137 partners of the West, the anti-AIS coalition. 00:02:21.357 --> 00:02:26.397 They significantly contributed to the defeat of the Terror Caliphate in the year 2019. 00:02:26.817 --> 00:02:31.457 And Kobani was such a focal point. Kobani, that is a city directly on the Turkish 00:02:31.457 --> 00:02:35.917 border, and the Islamic State tried to capture this city in 2014. 00:02:36.377 --> 00:02:38.837 15. That was around the turn of the year. 00:02:39.424 --> 00:02:46.224 2014. 15. The IS tried to capture it, and indeed they managed to conquer large parts of the city. 00:02:46.504 --> 00:02:50.924 I remember back then I was on the phone with one of the Kurdish commanders who 00:02:50.924 --> 00:02:55.164 was still in the city, and she told me that they were only in one neighborhood 00:02:55.164 --> 00:03:00.304 somehow, and defending, but somehow seeing no chance to continue defending the city, 00:03:00.604 --> 00:03:02.904 that the superiority of IS is gigantic. 00:03:03.504 --> 00:03:07.744 And they are basically just there to take as many of these IS people with them to death. 00:03:07.744 --> 00:03:12.884 She also told me back then, which I found extreme, that they kept the last bullet 00:03:12.884 --> 00:03:17.364 for themselves, especially the women, because the women, terrible things would 00:03:17.364 --> 00:03:21.344 have happened to them if they had fallen alive into the hands of ISIS. 00:03:21.904 --> 00:03:25.744 Perhaps a side note, the ISIS fighters hate fighting against women, 00:03:26.004 --> 00:03:29.824 even today, because they believe that if they are killed by a woman, 00:03:30.004 --> 00:03:31.484 they will not go to paradise. 00:03:31.644 --> 00:03:34.984 So in that respect, that was quite an intense conversation, I must say, 00:03:35.084 --> 00:03:38.624 back then when I spoke with this woman. But then a little miracle happened. 00:03:38.884 --> 00:03:42.244 For one thing, suddenly Kurdish women and men from other countries like Turkey, 00:03:42.364 --> 00:03:48.344 Iraq, but also from even Iran, joined this resistance and have together defended 00:03:48.344 --> 00:03:51.464 Kobani with the Syrian Kurds. And that was crucial. 00:03:51.724 --> 00:03:56.884 The Americans intervened, or rather the American-led anti-IS coalition. 00:03:57.284 --> 00:04:01.984 They then carried out airstrikes on IS, which at that time was still armed with 00:04:01.984 --> 00:04:07.064 tanks, heavy artillery, and other things they had previously captured during 00:04:07.064 --> 00:04:08.724 the conquest of Mosul in Iraq. 00:04:08.924 --> 00:04:13.804 And, yes, the Americans ensured through their airstrikes that Kobani could be held. 00:04:14.064 --> 00:04:18.464 Not only that, but that the Islamic State suffered its first heavy defeat there. 00:04:18.684 --> 00:04:23.424 That means the aura of invincibility of the Islamic State ended with Kobani. 00:04:23.644 --> 00:04:27.504 Well, and now the following is happening from Kobani. 00:04:27.944 --> 00:04:31.244 It goes directly to the Turkish border. When you are in Kobani, 00:04:31.464 --> 00:04:34.964 you can see on the other side huge Turkish flags that 00:04:34.964 --> 00:04:37.684 have been planted there somewhat menacingly as 00:04:37.684 --> 00:04:40.804 a warning and Turkey has always opposed 00:04:40.804 --> 00:04:44.524 the development of self-administration structures beyond its 00:04:44.524 --> 00:04:49.644 border Kurdish dominated self-administration structures because Turkey believes 00:04:49.644 --> 00:04:54.464 that those who now have a say in northern Syria are connected with the banned 00:04:54.464 --> 00:04:57.164 workers party PKK in fact they 00:04:57.164 --> 00:05:01.244 are ideologically close but there are no organizational connections to 00:05:01.515 --> 00:05:05.875 At least none that I am aware of. And, nevertheless, Turkey has been trying 00:05:05.875 --> 00:05:08.075 for years to dismantle these self-administration structures. 00:05:08.295 --> 00:05:13.255 Turkey has conducted several major military operations in 2016. 00:05:13.555 --> 00:05:19.515 2018, and 2019 in the region and has occupied parts of northern Syria with the 00:05:19.515 --> 00:05:20.895 help of Islamist militias. 00:05:21.155 --> 00:05:24.755 These are basically, yes, they can be described as mercenaries. 00:05:24.975 --> 00:05:28.055 And this is the Syrian National Army, the so-called. 00:05:28.335 --> 00:05:33.555 And they fight on the side of Turkey. And these areas, which were occupied by 00:05:33.555 --> 00:05:40.415 Turkey in 2018 and 2019, are located west and east of Kobani. 00:05:40.635 --> 00:05:44.175 And when in November, the so-called Hayat Hari al-Sham people, 00:05:44.355 --> 00:05:49.915 and also a larger militia that had a dominion in northwestern Syria, in Idlib, 00:05:50.175 --> 00:05:55.835 when they advanced and conducted their so-called blitzkrieg against the Assad 00:05:55.835 --> 00:05:57.955 regime, In parallel to this advance. 00:05:58.415 --> 00:06:03.475 This Syrian National Army also advanced, but not on the areas controlled by 00:06:03.475 --> 00:06:06.675 the regime, rather on the self-administration structures. 00:06:06.975 --> 00:06:11.095 And these battles are still ongoing, which is something relatively underreported. 00:06:11.215 --> 00:06:16.215 But currently there is fighting at the Euphrates, and the attempt by the Syrian 00:06:16.215 --> 00:06:19.715 National Army, together with and supported by Turkish airstrikes, 00:06:19.875 --> 00:06:22.595 is simply to cross the Euphrates to encircle Kobani. 00:06:22.595 --> 00:06:28.135 So from the, to advance from the western occupied areas of Syria to the areas 00:06:28.135 --> 00:06:29.495 occupied east of Kobani. 00:06:29.675 --> 00:06:35.015 That means if that succeeds, Kobani would be encircled, cut off from supplies 00:06:35.015 --> 00:06:37.695 and that is precisely the current plan. 00:06:37.975 --> 00:06:44.135 The opponents on the other side are the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces, the SDF. 00:06:44.495 --> 00:06:49.395 These are the Kurdish dominated groups that are now trying to defend themselves 00:06:49.395 --> 00:06:53.935 against this onslaught somehow. Jalal Muster, who lives in Kobani. 00:06:54.315 --> 00:06:57.995 I met him in a still completely destroyed neighborhood of Kobani, 00:06:58.295 --> 00:07:00.275 which is also right on the Turkish border. 00:07:00.755 --> 00:07:05.195 Kobani has, in recent years, that is after IS was driven out, 00:07:05.695 --> 00:07:07.655 Kobani has actually been largely rebuilt. 00:07:07.915 --> 00:07:13.815 You can still see scars of this fierce battle of the fight for Kobani 2014-15 00:07:13.815 --> 00:07:17.175 everywhere, but large parts of the city are rebuilt. 00:07:17.535 --> 00:07:21.655 Kobani is not a really beautiful city, to be honest. ist eine sehr kreis-Greyte. 00:07:22.035 --> 00:07:23.875 Exhaust fumes waffeln durch den air. 00:07:24.415 --> 00:07:29.515 So, das ist, dass es, da sind nur zwei-storre buildings, es ist nicht so schön, 00:07:29.555 --> 00:07:32.535 aber, wie gesagt, es wurde wieder gegründet. 00:07:33.033 --> 00:07:37.133 Only this one neighbourhood, where I met Jalal Muster, has not been rebuilt. 00:07:37.513 --> 00:07:42.913 They have deliberately left it like that to, well, simply remind people of what 00:07:42.913 --> 00:07:44.473 happened there 10 years ago. 00:07:44.733 --> 00:07:47.813 And there you can see the incredible violence of the confrontation. 00:07:48.273 --> 00:07:52.753 Back then, in the fight against ISIS, many buildings are completely destroyed. 00:07:52.973 --> 00:07:59.273 And at the same time, also old war material, for example, these so-called Mad Max vehicles of the IS. 00:07:59.273 --> 00:08:03.653 Those were vehicles that the IS had prepared with armor plates so that they 00:08:03.653 --> 00:08:08.213 were protected against bazookas and machine gun fire and with which they then 00:08:08.213 --> 00:08:09.433 sent off suicide bombers. 00:08:09.653 --> 00:08:14.373 They had converted these vehicles into rolling bombs, drove into the Kurdish positions. 00:08:14.673 --> 00:08:16.633 And you can still see all of that there. 00:08:16.993 --> 00:08:21.273 And Jalmal Muster is an older gentleman who has made it his mission to conduct 00:08:21.273 --> 00:08:25.253 tours in this neighborhood and also to tell what happened back then, 00:08:25.413 --> 00:08:28.793 but also to show what happened in Kobani at that time. 00:08:29.273 --> 00:08:32.093 Und er hat mir gesagt, dass für Wochen er hat, wie er daily erlebt hat, 00:08:32.233 --> 00:08:33.873 wie er auf seine neighbors in der Nähe gesehen hat. 00:08:33.973 --> 00:08:38.173 Die Leute, er sagt, sind hier desperate, weil sie sagen, die Welt ist nicht zu sehen. 00:08:42.593 --> 00:08:47.793 Planes sind immer über uns und mowing uns down. Wir haben 7 bis 8 deaths per day. 00:08:47.973 --> 00:08:53.193 Diese bombings do nicht die Militär, aber die civilians. Die bombings sind indiscriminiert. 00:08:53.433 --> 00:08:58.853 Er ist indiscriminiert und nicht interessiert, ob sie Kinder oder nicht. Er ist und zählt sie. 00:08:59.273 --> 00:09:03.453 Ich habe keine Ahnung, keine Ahnung, keine Ahnung. 00:09:04.073 --> 00:09:13.213 Das war etwas, was auch gehört in Gespräch mit SDF, auch mit vielen anderen 00:09:13.213 --> 00:09:14.933 Leuten in den Norden gesprochen. 00:09:15.193 --> 00:09:18.333 Auf der einen Seite, sie sagten, es ist irgendwie beeindruckend, 00:09:18.513 --> 00:09:20.133 dass niemand wirklich interessiert. 00:09:20.573 --> 00:09:24.873 Jeder schaut zu Damascus. Was ist diese Transitional Regierung da? 00:09:25.093 --> 00:09:29.473 Aber niemand schaut zu Kobani, niemand schaut zu Norden Syrien und schreibt, 00:09:29.613 --> 00:09:33.773 was passiert da, oder sogar kritisch zu Türkei. This is something that really 00:09:33.773 --> 00:09:36.873 irritates people to a high degree, especially since, as I said, 00:09:36.953 --> 00:09:39.333 these fights at the Euphrates are apparently quite intense. 00:09:39.593 --> 00:09:43.273 So I also spoke with an SDF commander, or rather a spokesperson, 00:09:43.593 --> 00:09:47.833 press officer of the SDF, who said there are entire areas, for example, 00:09:47.913 --> 00:09:53.933 at the Tishrin Dam, which is a dam plant where basically Turkish drones are 00:09:53.933 --> 00:09:56.133 constantly attacking, Turkish fighter jets attack, 00:09:56.493 --> 00:10:00.853 where the SDF fighters have to hide in tunnel systems because so much bomb material 00:10:00.853 --> 00:10:01.673 is being dropped on them. 00:10:01.933 --> 00:10:07.973 Und das, als ich erwähnt, passiert da immer, immer an der Zeit, der ich auf dem Podcast. 00:10:08.173 --> 00:10:11.213 Even wenn das etwas weniger in den letzten paar Tagen in den letzten Tagen verstanden 00:10:11.213 --> 00:10:12.453 ist, es muss auch gesagt sein. 00:10:12.873 --> 00:10:17.473 Aber diese Fights continue mit der Beklarung der Beklarung durch den Euphrates. 00:10:18.273 --> 00:10:23.553 Und dann, als ich erwähnt, auf die Bereiche der Türkei hat, east von Kobani. 00:10:23.693 --> 00:10:27.553 Und, ja, was könnte passieren in Kobani? 00:10:27.553 --> 00:10:32.433 Yusef experienced that and I met Yusef very close to Kobani in an industrial 00:10:32.433 --> 00:10:38.393 area, I would say it was like a conglomerate of many workshops and shop premises, 00:10:38.553 --> 00:10:42.213 these are like container type stories, where as I said, 00:10:42.813 --> 00:10:46.673 car repair shops or whatever were actually located they are all empty now and 00:10:46.673 --> 00:10:52.973 refugees are in there there were dozens of families and these families come from Manwich Manwich, 00:10:53.313 --> 00:10:58.733 that is a city which a few months was captured by those SNA people. 00:10:59.482 --> 00:11:04.262 It is located south of Kobani, southwest, to be exact. 00:11:04.862 --> 00:11:09.602 And Manbij was once a city that was also ruled, controlled by the Islamic State. 00:11:09.962 --> 00:11:14.122 It was once considered the London of the Middle East, because in Manbij for 00:11:14.122 --> 00:11:19.722 some time, largely, English was spoken because so many foreign ice fighters landed there. 00:11:20.082 --> 00:11:22.902 That was the first hub through which they were then distributed, 00:11:23.162 --> 00:11:26.062 further to Raqqa or to Mosul or to other cities. 00:11:27.322 --> 00:11:35.262 Manbij was recaptured in 2016-2017 by the Syrian Democratic Forces They paid 00:11:35.262 --> 00:11:38.962 an incredible toll in blood there So there were a lot of deaths during the capture 00:11:38.962 --> 00:11:41.302 of Manbij And well, this city was then, 00:11:41.462 --> 00:11:45.802 just a few weeks ago taken by our NATO partner or the troops supporting them 00:11:45.802 --> 00:11:49.482 that is this Syrian National Army And the people we met there, 00:11:49.642 --> 00:11:54.602 near Kobani in this industrial area, they were already quite desperate, I must say, 00:11:55.142 --> 00:11:59.022 So he said, a return for him to Manbij was not possible, it was far too dangerous. 00:12:01.122 --> 00:12:05.502 We have no plans to return. The people who fled are forced to stay here because 00:12:05.502 --> 00:12:06.882 they have nowhere else to go. 00:12:07.222 --> 00:12:11.102 No one can return to that cities, neither to Manbij nor to Afrin. 00:12:11.362 --> 00:12:16.022 As long as these forces are there, no one can go back because there is no security. 00:12:17.722 --> 00:12:22.742 Yousef, he told me that during the defense of Manbij or the battles for Manbij, 00:12:22.742 --> 00:12:29.262 over 700 fighters of the Syrian Democratic Forces were killed and 30 civilians were killed. 00:12:29.837 --> 00:12:35.077 And one must not, yes, forget. So these, I already mentioned at the beginning, 00:12:35.257 --> 00:12:37.997 this Syrian national army, they are basically mercenaries. 00:12:38.157 --> 00:12:40.017 And they proceed accordingly aggressively. 00:12:40.417 --> 00:12:45.237 They were also in Afrin in 2018, well, throughout the entire outer northwest. 00:12:45.637 --> 00:12:49.837 They have established a more or less terror regime in Syria. 00:12:50.097 --> 00:12:54.697 There are very, very many reports of looting, kidnappings, rapes, 00:12:55.137 --> 00:13:01.737 executions, murders, and all this, and similar things are said to have happened also in Manbij. 00:13:02.077 --> 00:13:06.637 That is what Yousef said, and that's what the others I met in the industrial 00:13:06.637 --> 00:13:11.917 area said, that they have heard and seen videos of such atrocities. 00:13:12.157 --> 00:13:16.737 And now many fear that Kobani could become the next Manbij. 00:13:17.337 --> 00:13:22.157 Yousef has therefore made an appeal to Germany and to the European Union. 00:13:25.097 --> 00:13:29.637 Die erste Sache wir wollen von der German Regierung und der EU ist für die Türkei-State 00:13:29.637 --> 00:13:33.997 attack auf Rojava zu stoppen, auf Syrien in generell und Rojava in particular. 00:13:34.457 --> 00:13:37.537 Die zweite Sache ist, dass sie diese Leute helfen. Deutschland ist ein großer 00:13:37.537 --> 00:13:39.177 Land und hat viele Leute gelesen. 00:13:39.357 --> 00:13:43.317 Aber die wichtigste Sache für uns ist, dass sie die Türkei-State attack auf uns stoppen. 00:13:48.517 --> 00:13:52.677 Ja, die attacks haben natürlich verändert, in der Rojava-Region. This is nothing new. 00:13:53.297 --> 00:13:56.897 Rojava is the name for these Kurdish-dominated areas in northern Syria. 00:13:57.277 --> 00:14:02.077 As mentioned, these are mainly populated by Kurds, but also Christians and others. 00:14:02.517 --> 00:14:07.417 Various Arab tribes, they are all now united under this umbrella of the Syrian Democratic Forces. 00:14:07.697 --> 00:14:13.517 And as I said, in 2016, 2018, 2019, there were already attacks by Turkey. 00:14:13.717 --> 00:14:18.297 And also, in the past years, there have been, at least occasionally, 00:14:18.657 --> 00:14:23.677 airstrikes and smaller attacks. Aber jetzt, die current attacks sind wirklich 00:14:23.677 --> 00:14:24.817 die Menschen zu despair. 00:14:24.977 --> 00:14:29.377 So bevor Manbij war, zum Beispiel, da war auch ein kurdisch Kursk, 00:14:29.377 --> 00:14:35.317 die in den Norden der Aleppo war. Und es war, seit 2018, still controlled by 00:14:35.317 --> 00:14:36.617 die Syrien Demokratik forces. 00:14:36.777 --> 00:14:41.397 Und in dieser kleinen Kursk, viele Menschen, über 100,000. 00:14:41.557 --> 00:14:48.557 3,000 refugees, die von Afrin in 2018, waren dort unter precarious conditions, 00:14:48.557 --> 00:14:50.617 Aber es ist in eine Sicherheit. 00:14:51.137 --> 00:14:54.877 At least no bombs fell da. Das verändert sich in November. 00:14:54.997 --> 00:15:00.277 Das ist die Syrien National Army und die intensified Turkish airstrikes. 00:15:00.457 --> 00:15:04.037 So first die Enclave fell. Dann Manbij fell. 00:15:04.557 --> 00:15:08.217 Und als ich sagte, jetzt die current fighting in den Euphrates region. 00:15:08.497 --> 00:15:12.277 Und natürlich die Menschen sind afraid. Die Kinder suffer, wie immer, 00:15:12.437 --> 00:15:13.877 die meisten in such conflicts. 00:15:13.937 --> 00:15:18.237 Und natürlich, sie sind auch sehr afraid der Bombs fallen da. 00:15:18.846 --> 00:15:24.186 I met Talal Sadun, who was mentioned at the beginning of this episode at the 00:15:24.186 --> 00:15:25.606 Arin Mirkan roundabout. 00:15:25.846 --> 00:15:31.526 In Kobani, this roundabout is named after a young woman, Arin Mirkan, 00:15:31.766 --> 00:15:34.646 who was involved in the defense battles in Kobani. 00:15:34.986 --> 00:15:40.606 And Arin Mirkan became famous because she was a commander of such a small platoon, 00:15:41.006 --> 00:15:44.406 about 12 female fighters whom she commanded. 00:15:44.406 --> 00:15:51.186 Und wenn sie in eine Hopeless Situation waren, sie dann ordered sie ihre Begräder zu retten. 00:15:51.406 --> 00:15:56.586 Sie covered die Begräder und dann, wenn sie clear, ihre Begräder waren und safe, 00:15:56.746 --> 00:15:58.746 sie zählte Handgrenades. 00:15:58.966 --> 00:16:04.266 Wenn die IS-Berberinnen geteilt wurde, sie zählte Handgrenades so als nicht 00:16:04.266 --> 00:16:09.006 zu fallen, ihre Hände zu fallen, und sie hat 10 IS-Berberinnen. 00:16:09.186 --> 00:16:12.906 Whether das ist wahr, ich weiß nicht, aber das ist was das been reported. 00:16:12.906 --> 00:16:21.166 Took another 10 IS fighters with her to death, and she sacrificed herself to stop the IS terrorists. 00:16:21.746 --> 00:16:25.346 Khalil Sadun, an older guy with a huge mustache, 00:16:25.946 --> 00:16:30.826 had a red scarf, a red and white scarf wrapped around his head, 00:16:31.206 --> 00:16:37.066 wore Kurdish clothing, and was sitting there relatively relaxed on a plastic chair. 00:16:37.286 --> 00:16:43.026 But then, when I started talking to him, er schnell wurde ergeriert und sehr 00:16:43.026 --> 00:16:46.306 klar wurde, warum er glaubt, dass Europa jetzt endlich ist. 00:16:48.746 --> 00:16:53.726 Wir saved Europa. Wir losten 12,000 fallen und 24,000 wounded. 00:16:53.946 --> 00:16:56.506 Wir protected Europa und verletzten die armdekunsten. 00:16:56.906 --> 00:17:00.366 Heute Erdogan ist trainiert 1,000 of fighters in California, 00:17:00.746 --> 00:17:02.366 Belgium, Afghanistan und Pakistan. 00:17:02.666 --> 00:17:06.826 Er war in Libya, Azerbaijan und Karabakh. Er ist basically saying, 00:17:06.826 --> 00:17:11.186 I will take control of all countries, I have terrorist fighters and I will send 00:17:11.186 --> 00:17:12.286 them to different countries. 00:17:18.346 --> 00:17:21.726 Yes, the people here know they can only defend themselves at present. 00:17:22.086 --> 00:17:28.006 I was in Kobani too and that touched me very much. To see a so-called martyr cemetery. 00:17:28.526 --> 00:17:32.406 So martyr is always a slightly strange term for us but it is a common word. 00:17:32.806 --> 00:17:37.206 Not just for people from the Islamist context who fall aber für alle, 00:17:37.306 --> 00:17:38.686 die in den Kriegen sterben. 00:17:38.786 --> 00:17:42.706 Und in Kobani ist eine große Martyr-Cemetery. 00:17:48.957 --> 00:17:54.757 Also Talal just said that they have had at least 12,000 fallen in the north. 00:17:55.037 --> 00:17:59.337 And alone in Kobani at the cemetery, there are thousands, and it is quite bitter to see. 00:17:59.677 --> 00:18:04.177 They have these graves, and on the tombstones are always the pictures of those who fell. 00:18:04.417 --> 00:18:10.597 And among them are very young people, who may be 15, 16, 17 years old. 00:18:10.737 --> 00:18:13.317 That is, of course, bitter to see. Und diese sind alle Menschen, 00:18:13.337 --> 00:18:16.017 die in den Krieg gegen den Krieg gegen den Krieg, die auch in Europa threatened. 00:18:16.137 --> 00:18:20.397 So Sie sicherlich remember die attacks in Paris, oder die Rampage in Berlin. 00:18:20.837 --> 00:18:22.537 Oder die letzte Jahr in Solingen. 00:18:22.737 --> 00:18:27.017 Diese sind alle Dinge, die in den Krieg, oder sogar orchestrated, by IS. 00:18:27.437 --> 00:18:32.317 Das heißt, die Kurdish Männer und Frauen, die da und jetzt hier in dieser Cemetery 00:18:32.317 --> 00:18:35.257 in Kobani, also defended Europa's security. 00:18:35.537 --> 00:18:39.457 Und sie haben immer wieder gesagt, das. By the way, this also applies to the 00:18:39.457 --> 00:18:42.377 Iraqi Kurds on the part of European and German politics. 00:18:42.557 --> 00:18:46.717 And they were repeatedly told that one is proud of them, that one greatly appreciates 00:18:46.717 --> 00:18:51.017 what they do, that they are sacrificing their young people in the fight against the Islamic State. 00:18:51.197 --> 00:18:56.717 And in the end, one must say, we abandon the Kurds. And that is simply bitter to see. 00:18:56.897 --> 00:19:00.217 And on this cemetery, there are, and this touched me deeply, 00:19:00.477 --> 00:19:02.517 now also new burial fields. 00:19:02.657 --> 00:19:07.017 And these new grave fields, there as we were just there, a young woman was lying 00:19:07.017 --> 00:19:10.537 over one of these graves and was really distraught, screaming, 00:19:10.537 --> 00:19:13.677 crying, sobbing and her friend was trying to comfort her. 00:19:13.897 --> 00:19:16.897 We didn't speak with her because it was clear that the woman was not in a position 00:19:16.897 --> 00:19:18.817 to tell us what had happened to her. 00:19:18.957 --> 00:19:22.357 But it was quite obvious that she there just lost a dear person. 00:19:23.457 --> 00:19:28.817 And, well, yes, it makes you a bit, how should I say, angry. 00:19:29.097 --> 00:19:32.777 So this silence of the Europeans, the Western world, Germany, 00:19:33.377 --> 00:19:37.817 about what is happening there. Aber es gibt noch eine Hoffnung für internationalen Unterstützung. 00:19:38.804 --> 00:19:43.304 Talal, Youssef und Jalal essentially say the same thing. 00:19:46.084 --> 00:19:50.604 My plea to the German government is to help us in some way and stop these attacks. 00:19:51.024 --> 00:19:54.064 Warplanes are constantly flying over us, bombing us. 00:19:54.224 --> 00:19:58.804 What have we done to deserve such attacks on civilians? We are running from 00:19:58.804 --> 00:20:02.004 one corner to another, trying to escape the asteroids. Ja, 00:20:07.904 --> 00:20:12.664 so it's not about saying send troops to protect us, defend us. 00:20:12.964 --> 00:20:15.384 We don't need that. We can do it ourselves. 00:20:15.744 --> 00:20:20.484 What needs to be stopped are the Turkish airstrikes, because that's something 00:20:20.484 --> 00:20:22.564 our people can't do anything about. 00:20:23.124 --> 00:20:28.144 I have said that the Syrian Democratic Forces are currently in the tunnel system. 00:20:28.144 --> 00:20:33.404 They come out now and then. Und übrigens, sie sind jetzt so-called FPV-dronen, 00:20:33.544 --> 00:20:37.444 diese First-Person-View-dronen, die in large numbers in Ukraine sind. 00:20:37.564 --> 00:20:42.044 So sie haben gelernt ein bisschen von dem Ukrainischen in ihrem Kampf gegen die Russische Armee. 00:20:42.524 --> 00:20:46.544 Aber als ich gesagt habe, gegen die Air-attacks, gegen die Drone-attacks, 00:20:46.644 --> 00:20:49.864 sie können nicht defenden. Das ist deshalb dieser Urgent-Pliee. 00:20:50.364 --> 00:20:55.724 Ensure das Türkei endlich stopt Bomben uns. Es gibt auch noch eine No-Fly-Zone. 00:20:56.304 --> 00:20:59.004 Similar zu den in Norden Irak in 1991. 00:20:59.544 --> 00:21:03.184 Which helped the Kurds defend themselves against Saddam Hussein. 00:21:03.344 --> 00:21:08.424 And you might also be asking yourselves, why the Turks are not directly attacking Kobani? 00:21:08.604 --> 00:21:12.704 So it has happened occasionally that airstrikes were conducted there. 00:21:12.904 --> 00:21:17.444 But there is no direct ground offensive on the city now, and this might be related 00:21:17.444 --> 00:21:19.704 to the presence of the Americans in the region. 00:21:19.944 --> 00:21:26.324 I did say the Syrian Democratic Forces were and are the closest partner in Syria 00:21:26.324 --> 00:21:28.364 when it comes to the fight against ISIS. 00:21:28.364 --> 00:21:32.384 There are also images of American special forces on the ground, 00:21:32.604 --> 00:21:37.484 who sometimes have the patches of the Syrian Democratic Forces on their jackets, 00:21:37.744 --> 00:21:42.484 but this is a very, very, very small group that the Americans have deployed there. 00:21:42.484 --> 00:21:45.864 They are now mainly concerned with securing the Syrian oil fields, 00:21:46.064 --> 00:21:47.944 which are in the far east of the country. 00:21:48.264 --> 00:21:51.404 However, they occasionally also patrol in the Kobani region. 00:21:51.604 --> 00:21:56.184 And that is possibly one of the reasons why no direct attacks are being launched 00:21:56.184 --> 00:21:59.924 on Kobani, because just that the Turks possibly, yes, 00:22:00.304 --> 00:22:06.664 have the fear that they could then anger the Americans, along with their somewhat erratic president. 00:22:06.764 --> 00:22:12.064 In this regard, as mentioned, there are currently no direct attacks on the city itself. 00:22:12.484 --> 00:22:16.784 But indeed, in the region, as mentioned, with the aim of closing a siege around 00:22:16.784 --> 00:22:20.644 Kobani and eventually starving the city, would ultimately have the same effect. 00:22:20.944 --> 00:22:26.564 Kobani would, in the worst case, fall. Yes, so I think Germany should become 00:22:26.564 --> 00:22:28.064 significantly more active there. 00:22:28.304 --> 00:22:31.204 I mean, Turkey is not a terrorist organization like ISIS. 00:22:31.584 --> 00:22:35.324 It's still a NATO partner, so someone who also relies on the other allies. 00:22:35.624 --> 00:22:38.324 Turkey is a close trading partner of Germany and... 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:43.580 I would expect from my government, from our government, we would wish that it 00:22:43.580 --> 00:22:49.240 makes it very clear that what is happening there cannot be in the interest of the German government. 00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:54.880 As mentioned, the Syrian Democratic Forces have sacrificed many, many people. 00:22:55.120 --> 00:23:00.920 The Kurds have sacrificed many people in the fight against ISIS to make Europe a bit safer as well. 00:23:01.060 --> 00:23:05.240 And I think we not only owe them gratitude, but also support. 00:23:05.540 --> 00:23:11.340 People simply need protection. And I also think that even if we put aside loyalty. 00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:16.620 Gratitude, and so on, I also believe it's very, very wise to protect the Kurds 00:23:16.620 --> 00:23:21.560 and the self-administrative structures in a new Syria, also out of self-interest. 00:23:21.860 --> 00:23:26.600 Because, as I said, they are fighting against ISIS. ISIS is still active in the region. 00:23:26.800 --> 00:23:30.840 That means there are still 10,000 terrorist fighters who are at large. 00:23:30.840 --> 00:23:37.260 The Kurds also guard very, very many captured IS people and relatives of IS fighters. 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:43.460 If all that collapses, we will certainly have a huge problem in Europe and in Germany. 00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:48.040 That was it for this episode in Crisis Mode. The podcast was produced by Alexander 00:23:48.040 --> 00:23:51.140 Baumeister. He is also a journalist at the Radio and Media Group. 00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:54.020 And you can find our podcast everywhere where there are podcasts. 00:23:54.320 --> 00:23:57.760 You can, of course, subscribe to us there as well. That would be very helpful 00:23:57.760 --> 00:24:03.240 and would make us happy. Feel free to follow us and write to us at krisinmodusafunkimedian.de 00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:06.640 if you have questions, suggestions or other things. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:09.640 And you can also write to me personally on Facebook. 00:24:09.920 --> 00:24:14.840 Yes, feel free to recommend us as well if this podcast has helped you and if 00:24:14.840 --> 00:24:18.740 you believe that it could also help other people, we'd be happy about that too. 00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:24.500 I'm saying goodbye for today. Thank you. Take care. See you soon. Bye-bye. 00:24:27.660 --> 00:24:32.720 In Crisis Mode, the podcast from Conflict Zones with Jan Jessen.