Competing senses of liberation, dread rule in Kurdish areas of Syria

[UnrepentantLiberal]

BY DAVID ENDERS
McClatchy Newspapers
August 15, 2012

AMMOUDA, SYRIA -- The only place in the predominantly Kurdish city of Ammouda that’s still flying the Syrian flag is the police station, but people here say it means little.

“There are only two police officers, and they stay inside and keep the door closed,” said Abdel Ila Awja, a resident.

Gone from this city near the border with Turkey are the statues of Syria’s president, Bashar Assad, and of his father, Hafez, who ruled before him.

Fighters from the United Democratic Party, a Kurdish militia, man a former Syrian military checkpoint at the entrance to the city.

More: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/14/3763883/competing-senses-of-liberation.html

[numnumnum]

1. Spam deleted by DURHAM D (MIR Team)

[David__77]

2. It was a wise move for the Syrian state forces to stage an orderly withdrawal from the area.

It prevented the FSA/al-Nusra/al-Qaeda forces from forming a tactical alliance with patriotic Kurdish forces. The Ottomans are in quite a pickle over what to do now - they don't know what to tell their Salafists to do.