US consul says “Biji Obama” chants by Kurds in Kobane are important for them

DİYARBAKIR – Doğan News Agency

DHA Photo

Commenting on the “Biji Obama” chants by Kurds after the U.S. bombarded Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) targets in Syria’s Kobane, U.S. Consul John L. Espinoza said it was important for them to see the support people gave to their fight.

“I cannot speak directly for the White House, but the fight against ISIL is very important for the U.S. We see defeating ISIL as being linked to us. Of course, it is very important for us that people who see our fight support us,” said Espinoza, who is the U.S. consul in Turkey’s southeastern province of Adana.

Kurdish forces recaptured Kobane, which is located on the Syrian side of the Turkey-Syria border, from ISIL militants on Jan. 26 after fighting for more than four months since the initial attack in September 2014. The air support of the U.S.-led coalition and the Peshmerga forces crossing to Kobane through Turkey were also effective in this victory.

Espinoza said their fight against ISIL would continue and they were discussing ways in which they could better continue the fight against the ISIL threat together with the coalition forces.

“As this threat constantly changes, we don’t know how to fight against it tomorrow. Therefore, we need to assess the threat very well and struggle with it accordingly,” said Espinoza, adding that in meetings they conducted, they learned the reconstruction of Kobane was very important and they were working on the topic together with the coalition forces and Turkey.