JINHA

KOBANÊ – With the liberation of Şêxler town, YPG/YPJ forces have advanced from their previous positions and secured the safety of Kobanê's western front.

Since the liberation of the city center in January, YPG/YPJ forces have been carrying out operations to liberate the villages around Kobanê. Now the forces have cleared the areas east of the Euphrates River.

YPG/YPJ forces first liberated the villages of Zaret and Zormixar, 45 kilometers from Kobanê on the banks of the Euphrates River, and then the town of Şêxler, which Daesh forces had been occupying. Since the Rojava Revolution, Şêxler, a town of 12,000 mostly Arab residents, had fallen under the control of first the Free Syrian Army, then Al Nusra and finally, for the last year, Daesh.

Now, with the liberation of Şêxler, only the Euphrates River stands between the YPG/YPJ forces and the city of Jarablus, which has become local headquarters for the gangs.

The operation's goal was to liberate all territory as far as the Euphrates River, says RustemHalep, a YPG fighter who participated in the early morning operation yesterday morning. Şêxler was the only place on the Kobanê side of the river still in Daesh hands.

"The Daesh gangs couldn't take our attack and dove into the river to flee to Jarablus," said Rustem. "In order to block us from crossing the Euphrates River, they blew up the bridge that forms the link between Jarablus and Kobanê Canton."

"The town of Şêxler, which we liberated, was for years ruled by groups that does not serve humanity and that sees the people as deserving of all forms of cruelty," said RêdurBargiran, a YPG fighter who took part in the operation. He mentioned that the people of the town are mostly Arab. "We believe that there is no difference between different peoples and that they must live together in brotherhood. We are going to work to build brotherhood between peoples here, in addition to defending the town."

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