In the same month, the YPG, a guerrilla combat force and considered as the armed wing of the PYD, captured the Kurdish city of Kobanī and then followed with the capture of Amuda and Efrīn. The cities fell without any major clashes with Syrian security forces, as they had largely pulled out to fight elsewhere.

A mother and her children playing as we passed through a small village on our way to Amuda.


YPG control quickly spread to other Kurdish towns and cities with little resistance, and on the 2nd of August, 2012, it was announced that with the exception of Qamishli and Hasakah, Kurdish dominated cities in Syria were now being governed by Kurdish political parties.

Approaching one of the frequent security checkpoints we had to stop at on the way. Flying high above is the green flag of the YPJ. The YPJ was set up in 2012 and is the female brigade of the YPG.