[These slides were used for a talk to the Socialist Alliance Geelong branch, July 1, 2015. For a PDF of slideshow see here.]
Big battlefield gains in Rojava
Capture of Tel Abyad (Gire Spi): 4000 YPG/YPJ and FSA fighters advanced from Kobane and Cezire to take Tel Abyad. They were comanded by a woman, Binhari Kendal. US airstrikes played a key role. Kobane and Cezire are now linked up. The Turkish blockade of Kobane will be less effective as supplies and aid can come from Cezire.
Raqqa now vulnerable
Raqqa is now cut off from Turkey and is more vulnerable. But it is not aKurdish area so the YPG/YPJ is very wary; it says that Arab forces must play a leading part. Also, Raqqa is very heavily defended.
Linking up Kobane and Afrin
YPG/YPJ is now outside Jarablus on the Euphrates. This gives them the eventual prospect of establishing a corridor linking Kobane and Afrin. But again, the area between the two cantons is largely Arab so that puts limits on what can do unless they have strong Arab support.
