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An International armed group has been formed in Rojava, the Kurdish region in north of Syria, called Internationalist Freedom Brigade consisting of communist and leftist fighters from several countries around the world.
The Marxist Leninist Communist Party (MLKP) of Turkey and Kurdistan has been the main force behind the establishment of the group. The group's main objective is to fight the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq and any other occupying forces, according to a statement by the group on June 11.
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#Serekaniye: #MLKP German fighter Ernesto speaks of newly founded Internationalist Freedom Brigade https://t.co/8PtZ23k37L
— sylezjusz (@sylezjusz)
June 12, 2015
The group said in the statement that they would be joining other Kurdish groups in the area who are fighting the Islamic State group.
“We are the people in Kurdistan who made the Rojava revolution, the workers, oppressed people, women and internationalist revolutionaries who fight under the banner of the YPG-YPJ…We are Spanish, German, Greek, Turkish, Arab, Armenian, Laz, Circassian, and Albanian…We are the revolutionary forces and organizations that have come together from different parts of the world to form the INTERNATIONALIST FREEDOM BRIGADE,” the group's statement read as it appeared on the Kurdish Question website.
Greek, Spanish, Turkish, German, Arab, Laz, Circassian and Albanian fighters present in the newly founded Brigade. http://t.co/DNJaltntbo
— Occupied Taksim (@OccupiedTaksim)
June 12, 2015
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The Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) is the main force fighting the Islamic State group in Syria’s north, so far liberating the city of Kobane in the northern border of Syria and Turkey earlier this year.
The battle between the two sides lasted for over 100 days and attracted major international attention, with groups and activists urged international intervention. Ultimately local Kurds successfully resisted the Islamic State group assault and liberated the town.
Since then, Kurdish forces in both Syria and Iraq emerged as major forces against the Islamic State group. Countries around the world pledged support and arms for the Iraqi Kurdistan authorities after they repeatedly stopped the Islamic State attempts to invade the Kurdish regions of Iraq.
Meanwhile, Turkey was heavily criticized for its reluctance in opening its borders and stopping Kurds suspected of being members of the Kurdish Workers Party forces – which is labeled as a terrorist organization by Ankara – from entering Syria and join the fight in Kobane.
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Turkey, the only NATO member in the Middle East, is also wary of the United States support of the YPG forces in their fight against the extremist group in Syria. Kurds, meanwhile, say Turkey has been supporting the Islamic State extremists.
Internationalist Freedom Brigade's announcement comes as the Kurdish forces were closing in on Islamic State group fighters in the town of Tal Abyad, a border town between Turkey and northern Syria.
Losing the town to the Kurdish forces would deal a major blow to the extremists, who uses the town for selling and smuggling oil across the border as well as an access point for foreign fighters joining the group.
The new leftist Brigade also said that it supported women's revolution in the Rojava area. Women have played an important part in the decades-long Kurdish struggle in Turkey, Syria and Iraq, and role of Kurdish women in the fight resistance against the Islamic State group has garnered rare favorable attention and praise from media and the international community.
“The Rojava revolution has upset the balance of power in neighboring countries, especially Turkey, and has become the heart of world revolution and the beacon of resistance for oppressed peoples,” the statement added. “As a women’s revolution, Rojava has strengthened women’s will and become the symbol of struggle against patriarchy and global bigotry.”
PLEASE READ: Statement from the newly formed Internationalist Freedom Brigade in Rojava, Kurdistan. pic.twitter.com/uRObh0ZSwj
— Charles Sharp (@Charles_Globe)
June 11, 2015
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