Kobane Native on Hunger Strike in Washington, DC, Calling for Humanitarian Corridor

WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Former Syrian parliamentarian Moustafa Mohamed, 51, a native of Kobane, Syria, has spent nearly two weeks on a hunger strike in Dupont Circle.  He intends to continue his hunger strike in an effort to urge the U.S. government to help his people in his native city.

In and around Kobane are 12,000 civilians who risk being slaughtered if ISIS manages to take over the besieged Kurdish town.  The United Nations envoy for the region, Staffan de Mistura, has called for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor and has taken the unusual step of asking Turkey to allow Kurdish fighters passage into the town to aid in its defense.

Mr. Mohamad, echoing these calls, is putting his life on the line. 

Turkey has allowed passage to a few Kurdish fighters to assist in the defense of Kobane—twelve, to date—but Moustafa Mohamad is aware that much more needs to be done.

"Our goal," says Mohamad, "is for the defenders of Kobane to secure victory there."  

Assisted by Kani Xulam, of the American Kurdish Information Network, Mr. Mohamad is now entering the third week of his hunger strike. Having resided in Denver, Colorado, for more than a decade, he has lost 15 relatives and friends in the fight for the town, and he recognizes his privilege and his responsibility. "Fasting is the least I can do," he says. "I can go on because many people, including children, don't have food and are starving in Kobane."

Xulam supports Mr. Mohamad in his goals.  "In spite of the fact that the town of Kobane is now partially occupied, Kobane's defenders—both men and women—are still fighting. We are asking the Obama administration to do all it can to facilitate the entry of food, medicine and military support into the town through air as well as land, the latter of which is controlled by Turkey.  Islamic State fighters have vowed to massacre all, fighters and civilians alike. We have to do everything in our power to ensure the protection of civilians in Kobane and to help its defenders prevail."

SOURCE American Kurdish Information Network