For immediate release

Press Release, 17 October 2014, London

The resistance in Kobane continues on its 33
rd
day as Islamic State attacks
once again intensify following coalition bombing.

Islamic State militants have been attacking the city of Kobane in Rojava,
Northern Syria since 15
th
September. An historic resistance by the different
ethnic and religious groups of the city, who have organised under the banner of
the Peoples Protection Units (YPG) and Womens Protection Units (YPJ) has led
to unprecedented attention by the international media and international forces.

In the past few days the US led coalition has begun liaising with the Kurdish
forces on the ground, which has helped them carry out effective aerial attacks
against IS targets for the first time. This has helped push the Islamic State back to
the outskirts of the southern and eastern borders of Kobane. However the
danger is not over as news arrives that the fighters of the YPG/YPJ are running
low on ammunition and other military technology as IS attacks once again
intensify. The resistance of Kobane will not be victorious until IS are completely
defeated in Kobane and the surrounding region. This is only possible if a corridor
through Turkey or through Iraq is opened to deliver military and humanitarian
support.

On 16
th
October the UK Parliament discussed Kobane and the IS/ISIL/ISIS threat
in the region, but it was disconcerting to see that the Foreign Minister Philip
Hammond was talking about the Democratic Union Party (PYD) in the way a
Turkish diplomat or government figure might; saying that Turkey saw them as
terrorists. This, despite the US and coalition forces officially meeting with PYD
leader Saleh Moslem and conducting joint operations against IS targets.

Therefore we are calling on the UK public, media and political circles to not let
their guard down against IS attacks against Kobane. A false sense of victory and
security is being created in some quarters. The IS scourge can only be defeated if
the UK pressurise Turkey into opening a corridor to Kobane, providing military
and humanitarian aid through this corridor, recognising the three autonomous
regions in Northern Syria, and delisting the Kurdistan Workers Party from the
terror list.

To continue raising awareness and appealing for this support we will have a
protest on Sunday 19
th
2014 beginning at 1pm.

Protest March
Sunday 19 October, 1pm
BBC, Portland Place, London W1A 1AA
Nearest Tube: Oxford Circus

Kurdish Assembly, UK
Contact: 07506702697, 07833897898