In Pictures

Kurds in Syria triumph over al-Assad's regime

Loud celebrations take hold in the country's northeast after the bloodless liberation from regime loyalists.
Giulio Petrocco Last Modified: 20 Nov 2012 11:44

Derik, Syria - Celebratory gunfire rang out in the streets after the last of President Bashar al-Assad's soldiers and police left this predominantly Kurdish city in Syria's northeast.

A truck blasted Kurdish music from its stereo. People climbed atop the vehicle and delivered speeches in Kurdish language, a practice forbidden for decades in the region.

A few hundred people gathered at "President's Square" in the city's centre, where music roared and dozens of women danced in circles holding hands.

Since the beginning of the uprising in March 2011 in Syria, the regime's forces have loosened their tight grip on Kurdish areas. Last July - overstretched because of the ongoing conflict - part of al-Assad's forces started to retreat from some enclaves in the region.

Kurdish political parties and People's Defence Units (YPG) started filling the power vacuum. Over the past two weeks, residents and YPG fighters expelled the remaining regime's men from several mostly Kurdish towns - gaining autonomy most had never known in their lives.

In almost every case, this happened without violence.
Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Members of a Kurdish local self-defence group man a checkpoint on the road to Derik, Syria.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
A Kurdish man scrawls over portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad painted in Derik, Syria.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurds celebrate pushing government troops out of a city northern Syria.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurds celebrate what they call the "liberation" of a northern city, after so-called "People's Defence Units" pushed forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad out of town.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurdish members of the YPG (People's Defence Units) guard a checkpoint in Derik.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Local militia members stand in front of a statue of Hafez al-Assad, late father of President Bashar al-Assad, as they wait for a heavy truck to tear down the statue.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurdish activists bashed the face of a statue of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad with hammers.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurdish citizens of Derik celebrate the withdraw of Syrian government forces from the city.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Namet Ramadan, 16, was the first to hammer the head of a statue of President Bashar al-Assad's late father.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurdish fighters guard a checkpoint.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
In northern Syria, many Kurds oppose the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) which is fighting the government.


Giulio Petrocco/Al Jazeera
Kurdish residents of northern Syria celebrate after Syrian troops withdraw from a city.



images:
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captions:
Members of a Kurdish local self-defence group man a checkpoint on the road to Derik, Syria.;*;A Kurdish man scrawls over portrait of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad painted in Derik, Syria.;*;Kurds celebrate pushing government troops out of a city northern Syria.;*;Kurds celebrate what they call the "liberation" of a northern city, after so-called "People(***)s Defence Units" pushed forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad out of town. ;*;Kurdish members of the YPG (People(***)s Defence Units) guard a checkpoint in Derik.;*;Local militia members stand in front of a statue of Hafez al-Assad, late father of President Bashar al-Assad, as they wait for a heavy truck to tear down the statue.;*;Kurdish activists bashed the face of a statue of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad with hammers. ;*;Kurdish citizens of Derik celebrate the withdraw of Syrian government forces from the city. ;*;Namet Ramadan, 16, was the first to hammer the head of a statue of President Bashar al-Assad(***)s late father.;*;Kurdish fighters guard a checkpoint. ;*;In northern Syria, many Kurds oppose the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the Free Syrian Army (FSA) which is fighting the government. ;*;Kurdish residents of northern Syria celebrate after Syrian troops withdraw from a city. Daylife ID:
1353315516431
Photographer:
Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco;*;Giulio Petrocco
Image Source:
Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera ;*;Al Jazeera
Gallery Source:
Daylife
Daylife Raw Data:
Kurdistan in Syria http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431en-usAl Jazeerafeedback@daylife.com10Mon, 19 Nov 2012 08:58:37 GMTMon, 19 Nov 2012 09:22:04 GMT http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=00zj4dk5Gt8tlMembers of local self-defence group holding a checkpoint on the road to Iraqi Kurdistan in Derik, Syria.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=00zj4dk5Gt8tlGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload ImagesMembers of local self-defence group holding a checkpoint on the road to Iraqi Kurdistan in Derik, Syria. http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0giY5OT19D3pE

Kurdish man covers the face of one of the many Bashar al-Assad's portraits painted in Derik/Al Malkiah, Syria.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0giY5OT19D3pEGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Kurdish man covers the face of one of the many Bashar al-Assad's portraits painted in Derik/Al Malkiah, Syria.

 http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=09yRb1n8cZ2Cq

Kurdish people celebrating the bloodless liberation of the city from the Syrian government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=09yRb1n8cZ2CqGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Kurdish people celebrating the bloodless liberation of the city from the Syrian government forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad.

 http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0a752GKc7Deie

Kurdish people celebrating the bloodless liberation of the city from the Syrian government forces loyal to Bashar al Assad in Derik. The al-Assad's loyalist were talked out of the city by citizens and People's Defence Units militias.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0a752GKc7DeieGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Kurdish people celebrating the bloodless liberation of the city from the Syrian government forces loyal to Bashar al Assad in Derik. The al-Assad's loyalist were talked out of the city by citizens and People's Defence Units militias.

 http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=07iFaI598L2ddYPG (People's Defence Units) members manning a checkpoint in Derik/Al Malkiah.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=07iFaI598L2ddGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload ImagesYPG (People's Defence Units) members manning a checkpoint in Derik/Al Malkiah. http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0emx98d6KK0cW

Local militia member in front of Hafez al-Assad, late father of Bashar al-Assad, waiting for a heavy truck to tear down the statue. Crowd decided to destroy it after the bloodless liberation of the town from Syrian government force.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0emx98d6KK0cWGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Local militia member in front of Hafez al-Assad, late father of Bashar al-Assad, waiting for a heavy truck to tear down the statue. Crowd decided to destroy it after the bloodless liberation of the town from Syrian government force.

http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0cwT8S3fbU1Wt

Kurdish anti government activist hammers the base of the Hafez al-Assad's statue.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0cwT8S3fbU1WtGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Kurdish anti government activist hammers the base of the Hafez al-Assad's statue.

 http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0bfg9UK4bC7VBCitizens of Derik celebrate the liberation of their city from Syrian government forces.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0bfg9UK4bC7VBGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload ImagesCitizens of Derik celebrate the liberation of their city from Syrian government forces. http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0fNDaW6bsygEN

Namet Ramadan, 16 years old, is the first to hammer the head of the president Bashar al-Assad's late father.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0fNDaW6bsygENGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Namet Ramadan, 16 years old, is the first to hammer the head of the president Bashar al-Assad's late father.

 http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0dsj8jmd919dz

YPG ( People's Defence Units) member manning a checkpoint in Derik/al Malkiah.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0dsj8jmd919dzGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

YPG ( People's Defence Units) member manning a checkpoint in Derik/al Malkiah.

 http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0g3H97i4MY3ZdThe Kurdish area in Syria is claiming more and more independence from the Government and staying distant from FSA (Free Syrian Army rebels) , which is seen with general distrust.Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0g3H97i4MY3ZdGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload ImagesThe Kurdish area in Syria is claiming more and more independence from the Government and staying distant from FSA (Free Syrian Army rebels) , which is seen with general distrust. http://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0gRg8HNalod3p

Kurdish people and YPG ( People's Defence Units) members parade the streets in celebration for the official declaration of liberation of the city.

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMThttp://aljazeera.smartgalleries.net/gallery/1353315516431?image_id=0gRg8HNalod3pGiulio PetroccoAl Jazeera Al Jazeera Upload Images

Kurdish people and YPG ( People's Defence Units) members parade the streets in celebration for the official declaration of liberation of the city.



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