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Inside Kobane: ‘It’s better to die here’

Some residents of besieged Kobane are staying put despite intense fighting.

Aladdin Abdo, 64, and his wife Amish Ahmed, 55, sit in front of their son(***)s house in Kobane surrounded by their children and grandchildren. Abdo is now a member of the Kurdish force in the besieged town.
By Hermione Gee
Published On 22 Dec 2014

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The Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane has been fighting for its survival for over three months. Intense fighting continues on a daily basis.

Kurdish People’s Protection Units fighters (YPG), backed by anti-ISIL coalition air strikes and Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga forces, are making progress against ISIL fighters but it’s a slow and dangerous process. And despite their desperate situation, the dwindling population of Kobane remains united and defiant. 

The Kurdish fighters ensure the besieged town still has basic services. They have set up a regular rubbish pick-up service and deliver basic supplies to the remaining residents.

Despite the regular shelling and gunfire, many children are still out playing on the streets.
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Two fighters collect rubbish from the streets of western Kobani that has been spared much of the destruction that has hit other parts of the Syrian Kurdish town on the border with Turkey.
The resistance force has many female members. One, Arin Mirkan, blew herself up in October when she ran out of bullets reportedly killing several ISIL militants in the process.
Many homes and vehicles have been destroyed in the northern part of Kobane near the official border crossing with Turkey.
The aftermath of a suicide car bomb attack in northern Kobane. Kurdish forces claim the car entered their side of the border through Turkish territory.
Kurdish fighters stand on top a pile of rubble in the central part of Kobane. The area has seen heavy fighting and many buildings have suffered heavy damage.
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Letfiya Aberkali Zelema, 30, and her friends try to keep warm. Many of the civilians who have stayed in Kobane complain of a lack of fuel and cooking devices. Leftiya says she cooks on a fire like this one outside her home.
A woman sits on a pile of dirt on a chilly afternoon in Kobane. While Kurdish fighters provide modest levels of basic needs such as food and medicine, many civilians here are in need of more assistance especially fuel.
Despite the heavy fighting occurring on an almost daily basis, fighters ensure they collect the rubbish from the streets of western Kobane, an area under their firm control.
Many of the town residents have joined the resistance against ISIL while their families have stayed in the besieged town.
Despite an intense, three month long assault by ISIL, the local residents and fighters have been able to hold some ground and say they are advancing against ISIL forces in the town.