People of Girê Spî (Tel Abyad) overcome barbed wire fences to reach Northern Kurdistan. Civilians who were used by ISIS as human shield began crossing the border yesterday.

People of Girê Spî (Tel Abyad) overcome barbed wire fences to reach Northern Kurdistan. Civilians who were used by ISIS as human shield began crossing the border yesterday. After the YPG-YPJ forces’ operation to liberate Girê Spî reached the town 2 days ago, thousands of civilians who were held at the border are now being directed to Akçakale Border Gate. The efforts of Urfa 20th Armed Battalion Commander, Akçakale district governor and mayor had failed after ISIS gangs’ recent intervention. Thousands of civilians piled on barbed wire fences close to villages nearby Ayn-El Arus and Siluk after the arrival of YPG-YPJ forces Girê Spî.

Hundreds of people from Rojava crossed the border after people from Akçakale came to Girê Spî to rescue their relatives. Turkish police and military began to allow civilian crossing after their previous attempts to hold the civilians at the border failed. Refugees were registered by AFAD officials and transported to AFAD camps with minibuses.

Civilians that were able to cross the border stated that ISIS gangs had escaped to Raqqa and left behind a very small force in Girê Spî as the advance of YPG-YPJ forces on the town continued.