The Resistance Square in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A neighbourhood of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. The destroyed truck belonged the IS which blew it up in a suicide mission to reach the border crossing between Turkey and Syria which is just 250m away. This spot also marks the furthest point of the IS attack on Kobane from here on they had to withdraw from the city. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The square in the start of Street 48 in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A nighbourhood of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for six months till February 2015. The destroyed tank belonged the IS which captured it from the Syrian Army before. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The arch on the entrance of Kobane with the street leading towards Aleppo. The heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State (IS) raged for five months till February 2015. The cannon is from a T-55 tank which belong to the IS and was completely obliterated in an US air strike. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The remains of wedding hall on the street towards Aleppo out the Kobane. The heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
Street 48 in Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The remains of a wedding hall in the outskirts Kobane towards Aleppo after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for six months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The bazar of Kobane very close to the Turkish border after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A swimming pool in a neighbourhood of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. The destroyed tank belonged the IS which captured it from the Syrian Army before. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A neighbourhood in Kobane which was almost completely destroyed in bitter fighting between the Islamic State and Kurdish militia which were supported by the US Air Force. The fighting lasted for almost five months. In the background Turkey:Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A restaurant in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
Remains of houses in a neighbourhood next to Street 48 in Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A petrol station in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for six months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A boy playing in a neighbourhood of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish militias with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. The selfmade mortars were captured by the Kurds from the Islamic State. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The remains of a factory in the outskirts Kobane towards Aleppo after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The remains of a small amusement park on street towards Aleppo out the Kobane. The heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A street in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A shopping stret in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A child´s room in a neighbourhood of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. In the backround the destroyed basar of the city. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The street towards Aleppo out the Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for six months till February 2015. The tank belonged to the IS which captured it from the Syrian army. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A shop in a street in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
A house in a neighbourhood of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish YPG militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for six months till February 2015. The house is an area which was constantly under Kurdish control and was very proberly destroyed by one of the many mortars which rained down on the city. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
The Freedom Square in the center of Kobane after heavy fighting between Kurdish militia with the support of the US Air Force and fighters of the Islamic State which raged for five months till February 2015. The pickup truck flies the banner of the Kurdish YPG militia which was the main fighting force during the struggle for the city. Kobane, Syria, March 2015.
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In March 2015, I visited Kobane, which was leveled to about 60 per cent in five months of intensive fighting between the Islamic State and Kurdish militia, the latter heavily supported by the American Air Force. Again my aim is to show the aftermath of the fighting – livelyhoods are destroyed in milliseconds, to rebuild them takes years. The fate of Kobane stands as an example for other Syrian cities like Aleppo or Homs. The strategic value of Kobane is zero. It fell into ruins because it became a symbol – the fight between Good against Evil. Nevertheless, stumbling through the debris and human remains for 12 days makes these notions fade away. Only a big disbelief stays about what human beings are capable of – not difficult to imagine what a lot of European cities looked after WWII. The ignorance about the conflict in Syria starts to disappear after dead refugees are washed up on our shores – decisive political action by the international community with a clear threat of military force is badly needed to bring the conflict at least to a standstill.