QAMISHLI: Buryingfighters killed in a nearly week-long battle against Turkish forces in northernSyria, the country's Kurdish minority denounced a "betrayal" by USallies that paved the way for Ankara's offensive. In a graveyard in theKurdish-majority city of Qamishli, 57-year-old Basna Amin watched as the newlyfallen were laid to rest near comrades who died in the US-backed fight againstthe Islamic State group. "We are disappointed because (the Americans)betrayed us," she said, a black and white headscarf covering her hair.
"The worldwants the Kurds to always be broken," she said. At least 135 Kurdishfighters have been killed in Ankara's assault triggered by last week's USpullout from border areas in Syria's north, according to the Britain-basedSyrian Observatory for Human Rights. Washington's move - widely interpreted asgreen-lighting the long-planned Turkish invasion-has sparked resentment amongthe Kurds who have already lost 11,000 of their fighters in anti-IS battles.
Sitting near thegrave of her son who died battling jihadists in 2014, Jawahir said thatsacrifices by Syria's Kurds will compensate for the blow dealt by Washington."We have been betrayed before," she said. "All the gains we havescored are thanks to the blood of these martyrs," she added. "Theirblood will not go to waste." Around her, women hunkered beside graves,their eyes red with tears. Hundreds had streamed into the graveyard to buryfighters killed in recent border battles, the portraits of 'martyrs' plasteredon coffins and pinned to clothes.
'Pay with ourchildren'
Dressed inmilitary fatigues, a female Kurdish fighter pressed her body against a colorfulcasket, held up by a sea of mourners. She stroked the coffin's lid, its floralarrangement matching the pattern on her black headscarf. In the crowd below,another woman whispered inaudible words as she caressed a similar coffin,decorated with ribbons, flowers and a red sheet. Trump, who is campaigning forre-election but faces impeachment, is keen to deliver on a promise of pullingUS troops out of the Syria quagmire.
More than 1,000troops are now being withdrawn from northern Syria and the United States willkeep only a residual contingent of some 150 troops in the south at the Al-Tanfbase near the borders with Jordan and Iraq. "They used to break breadtogether, and fight terrorism together, it is a big disappointment," saidFarida Bakr, speaking on Washington's decision to withdraw troops. But "we will stay on our land, and wewill fight until we are victorious, even if we have to pay with ourchildren," said the 50-year-old.
Around her, womenululated in grief. Others in headscarves stood silently, raising two fingers ina victory gesture, their solemn gaze directed to the floor. They waved basketscarrying candles and henna dye, a custom during funerals for the young. ForSouad Hussein, whose children are among those fighting Ankara's forces, theKurds can rely only on themselves. "We have hope only in our forcesbecause the Kurds have no friends," she said. "We will be friends toourselves and we will confront our enemies."- AFP