Kobani Victory Celebrated in Aleppo

Syrian Kurdish forces in Aleppo have celebrated the defeat of Islamic State (IS) in Kobani.

Kurdish forces regained control of Kobani on January 26. Islamic State militants had besieged the town, on the border with Turkey, since September.

In Sheikh Maksoud, a Kurdish-majority neighbourhood of Aleppo, thePeople’s Protection Units (YPG) held a victory parade the following day. YPG forces are the armed wing of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party.

Large crowds turned out for the parade, among them families forced to flee Kobani. The festivities also included traditional Kurdish dancing.

Damascus Bureau’s Ammar Abdallah attended the event and took the following photographs.