11th Anniversary of the Mass Forced Displacement from Kobani September 20, 2025
ARK News.. Following the brutal attack by ISIS on Shingal and the massacres against the Kurdish Yazidi community in August 2014, the terrorist organization launched another offensive on Kobani in Syrian Kurdistan, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents into forced displacement toward Turkey, the Kurdistan Region, Europe, and beyond in search of safety.
The days of September 18–21 mark the 11th anniversary of that mass exodus from Kobani and Gire Spi following ISIS’s assault on the region—a period when collective memory revisits the traumatic scenes of displacement and the profound human suffering that accompanied it.
Thousands of Kobani residents were forced to abandon their homes and lands to save their lives and those of their children after the city became a battleground for a fierce war.
The tragedy did not end with displacement; the war claimed the lives of countless civilians, leaving open wounds in the hearts of survivors and an indelible memory of pain and loss.
Details of the Attack and Displacement The city of Kobani and its countryside were subjected to a barbaric attack by ISIS, one of the most violent campaigns targeting civilians during that phase of the war.
The assault was launched from three fronts: Jarabulus, Sirrin, and Gire Spi, leading to a mass exodus of residents fleeing the brutality of the terrorist group—especially after the massacres ISIS committed against civilians in Shingal, which remain etched in collective memory.
Thousands of families headed toward the Turkish border; some settled there, while others chose to continue their journey to European countries by sea. Many sought refuge in the Kurdistan Region, searching for temporary safety.
Amid this bleak humanitarian landscape, the world witnessed widespread solidarity with Kobani. At the invitation of President Barzani, the Kurdistan Parliament held an emergency session on October 8, 2014, and decided to dispatch Peshmerga forces to Kobani to support the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) in defending the city.
With the arrival of Peshmerga forces, the US-led international coalition against ISIS was formed, with the participation of dozens of Arab and foreign countries.
The battles within Kobani lasted for months, and large parts of the city were destroyed due to intense clashes and airstrikes against ISIS positions. The fruit of these sacrifices and alliances was the liberation of Kobani from the grip of ISIS—a victory regarded as a symbol of resilience and resistance against terrorism.
Thus, despite all the destruction and displacement it endured, Kobani remains a living symbol of defiance against all forms of injustice and terror. Its people still await the day when conditions allow them to return to their homes.
266
