Mourners gather at funeral for YPG fighters killed in battle with IS
As the fight against the Islamic State continues, Syria's Kurds maintain their resolve in spite of a mounting death toll
The YPG are the military wing of the PKK's Syrian affiliate, the PYD (MEE/Abed Al Qaisi)
Published date: 13 February 2015 03:15 GMT
|
Last update: 9 years 2 months ago
Mourners gather to honour Syrian Kurdish fighters killed in battle with the Islamic State in Rojava (Syrian Kurdistan)
The fighters with the People's Protection Units (YPG), the military wing of the Syrian branch of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), were buried in shallow graves as it was hoped that once the fighting had ended, it would be possible to move the bodies to more appropriate locations.
Hundreds have died fighting IS in Rojava, but the international community, in particular Turkey, have been wary of providing direct support to the YPG, whose affiliate the PKK is listed as a terrorist organisation by the US, EU and NATO.
Stay informed with MEE's newsletters
Sign up to get the latest alerts, insights and analysis, starting with Turkey Unpacked
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
