JINHA

KOBANÊ – The YPG Press Center reports that YPG/YPJ forces have liberated five more villages in Kobanê canton from Daesh occupation.

The YPG Press Center announced, on the 211th day of the resistance against Daesh gangs' attempts to occupy Kobanê, that their forces have had several more victories in the operation they launched on April 8 in the southeast of the canton.

Recent developments, say sources in Kobanê, have resulted in Daesh forces—who once terrorized the entire region—being split into several groups.

In Kobanê Canton, YPG/YPJ forces pushed Daesh occupiers out of the areas of Bocak and Xirab Hişk, each of which contains two villages. They have also liberated the area of Derfilît, the strategic Çelebi cement plant, two quarries and Gocekmetê village. The latter village has been under heavy Daesh assault, with the gang members attempting a suicide car attack on the village. YPG/YPJ forces detonated the car before it could harm the village.

On the western front, YPG/YPJ forces have so far pushed Daesh back to the town of Jarablus. Gangs detonated the bridge over the Euphrates in their wake to prevent further YPG/YPJ advances. On the eastern front, the YPG/YPJ fighters have taken the hills overlooking the Girê Spi plain.

Locals in eastern Kobanê said Daesh has been dragging dead bodies around the town claiming they belong to YPG fighters, in order to terrorize the population against the YPG/YPJ, but one local man recognized one of the bodies as his own cousin by the tattoo.

The southern front extends from the Aleppo Road (which crosses the Euphrates River) to the Turkish border. Fierce clashes are ongoing, and YPG/YPJ mine removal teams have been attempting to remove the mines that Daesh leaves behind as they retreat. Even in the town of Serrin, where Daesh has drawn on Arab nationalist discourses to strengthen its occupation, sources say around 85% of the population wants democracy.

The last 24 hours have seen six Daesh casualties.

(nt/cm)