Women gathered in the Syrian municipality of Qamishli on Monday to demand the nation’s Islamist interim government implement non-discriminatory gender policies and support its Kurdish citizens in the face of Turkish military activities in the area.
"We are demanding women's rights from the new state… and women must not be excluded from rights in this system," participant Sawsan Hussein told Reuters. "We are condemning the attacks of the Turkish occupation against the city of Kobani."
The protest follows Turkey's indication that its armed forces will continue operations targeting fighters from the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, a militia Ankara claims is linked to the Kurdistan Workers Party, a separatist group it has clashed with for decades.
Kurdish populations in northeastern Syria have enjoyed a degree of self-rule since the onset of the 2011 civil war, a status that many fear could be jeopardized given Turkey's growing ties with the new leadership in Damascus.
Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported U.S. concerns over Turkey’s recent deployment of ground personnel along its southern border, which appear to be preparations for a significant invasion of the region.
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