Attacks by ISIS gangs on Kobanê town of West Kurdistan, Rojava, began in the spring of 2014. Gang groups launched their first attack on Kobanê on March 22nd, soon after the celebration of Newroz Fest on Hill Mishtenur. This was yet not the first confrontation of the ISIS anf YGP/YPJ that had previously fought with and defeated Al-Nusra gangs. Armed clashes had formerly taken place between YPG/YPJ fighters and ISIS gangs when they attacked the Cizîrê Canton of Rojava territory. Still, Kobanê always remained at the center of attacks by ISIS that emerged as an international paramilitary organization after the elimination of similar gang groups in Syria, Al-Nusra being in the first place.

NOT A COINCIDENCE

It was not just a coincidence that Kobanê was chosen as a target by ISIS gangs. The cities in Rojava territory had been isolated from each other as a result of the Arab Belt policy of the Ba'ath regime, which consequently caused a disunity among the cantons declared after the beginning of the Rojava Revolution.

While the city of Girê Spi (Tal Abyad) which had been Arabized through the Arab Belt policy became the base of gang groups with the beginning of the civil war in Syria, because of which the cantons of Kobanê and Cizîrê also ended up disconnected.

On the other hand, the city of Jarablus, which had similarly been cleared of Armenians and Arabized through the same policy, was also occupied by gangs after the beginning of the civil war, because of which the towns of Kobanê and Afrin were also disconnected from one other.

In this state of affairs, ISIS gangs, acting in line with their joint strategy with the Turkish state, considered it appropriate to attack the Kobanê Canton which had been under a siege heavier than other cantons, lacked a steady military system, occupied a small area but at the same time a strategic position.

TURKISH STATE POINTED AT ROJAVA TO THE ISIS

To the Turkish state, occupation of Kobanê meant an encirclement of the Cizîrê and Afrin cantons and breaking of the Rojava Revolution; and a new door opening into the Middle East through its ally ISIS, and growing of the trade volume again with the ISIS. It was the Turkish state that put the idea of Rojava into the head of ISIS as a strategy close theirs that had been grounded on the Middle East.

The ISIS, which always treated the Rojava Revolution and philosophy with enmity and would unavoidably attack Rojava, approved this strategy put forward by the Turkish state, and thus started an attack on Rojava and Kobanê as the first thing in Syria. For ISIS, a new door opening into the ally Turkey and occupation of more areas was a golden opportunity to encircle Cizîrê and Afrin, and most importantly of course, gain a strategic cooperation with the Turkish state.

Kobanê was becoming the first target for both forces for being the place where the revolution was first sparked, and where the Ba'ath regime was first thrown out from. Within this context, ISIS conducted its first attack on southern Kobanê on March 22nd. ISIS gangs had beforehand seized the cities surrounding Kobanê- Girê Spi, Jarablus, Minbic, Sirin- from FSA (Free Syrian Army) and AL-Nusra gangs one by one. After reaching the borders of Kobanê, gangs settled on the line of Şexler at the bank of the Euphrates. Kobanê was completely surrounded now. The first attack began in Sirin. During the clashes that erupted around the wheat silos, gangs faced strong resistance from YPG/YPJ, which constituted the first military blow they were inflicted in Syria. The ISIS gangs that had smashed almost all the forces in the towns and regions they had previously entered, were literally beaten hollow by a small group of YPG/YPJ combatants in their very first attack on Kobanê which lacked the required military means and arms and was therefore seen as a sitting target.

THE FIRST RETREAT OF ISIS

After facing the first blow in Sirin, the gangs launched an attack on Kendalê village in the evening of the same day. Kendalê went down in history as the place witnessing the first retreat of ISIS gangs that had never withdrawn from any of the areas they attacked during their occupation of big areas and cities. In the evening of March 22, YPG/YPJ groups acting under the command of Commanders Hebun and Siyabend started writing a history that later turned into an epic during the course of the battle.

ISIS gangs were inflicted heavy blows by the YPG/YPJ fighters in Kendalê village who resisted hundreds of gang groups with a limited number of combatants and armament. After making an advance to the extent of a half of the village, gang groups fled the village in the wake of a loss of over 40 militants during the clashes here.

Receiving a major blow and tasting a defeat yet in the very first attack on Kobanê, ISIS gangs were beginning to understand that things wouldn't go as easily as they thought in the face of the determination and will manifested by the forces they targeted and attacked.

The resistance mounted by a professional team of just 40 YPG/YPJ fighters and self-defense forces of local Kobanê residents with small arms and hand-made grenades against ISIS gangs, who continued their attacks during the months of April and May, was also manifesting the capacity of the resistance to be waged from then on.

TOUGH PERIOD

A tough period was now beginning in Kobanê which had been surrounded from three sides and was facing a major shortage of essential needs such as food, as well as water and electricity both of which were cut off by the gangs.

In the meantime, the Turkish state was hindering the access of aid into Kobanê, which had only the side of Northern Kurdistan open amid a siege from three sides. The Turkish state was sort of laying siege on Kobanê from the northern side on behalf of ISIS.

All the challenging circumstances were being coped with by means of a joint production, equal distribution, joint management and self-defense.

The water need was being provided from the wells opened in the town, and electricity from common power generators working with the fuel left available.

In military respect, defense was being waged with hand-made grenades and bombs, and youths were being given self-defense training in the ranks of YPG/YPJ.

While all these were happening in 2014's spring in Kobanê, ISIS gangs had understood that they would not be able to accomplish a result by the present manners of attack and armament, and started preparations for the first major wave of comprehensive attacks on Kobanê.

THE JUNE PAGE WAS BEGINNING

There had been going on a big war in Kobanê by by the month of June. The armament and numerical difference between two sides during the attacks on three fronts was developing in an unprecedented level of inequality. While ISIS gangs were attacking with thousands of tanks, artillery and heavy weapons on all three fronts, YPG/YPJ resisted this force with mainly new fighters whose number wasn't higher than 500, hand-made grenades and old Kalashnikov rifles.

The June page of the 21st century epic of resistance in Kobanê was now beginning to be written.