Syrian Kurds Flee Islamist Pogroms, Taking Refuge in Iraq

Al-Qaida loyalists fighting the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad have managed to seize control of large parts of the country – and their influence is increasingly being felt in Kurdish areas of northern Syria.

In recent days, many thousands of Syrian Kurds, seeking to escape persecution at the hands of Jihadists, have been crossing the border into the autonomous Kurdish area of northern Iraq.

Last year, Syrian forces pulled out of most of the Kurdish regions, with the army concentrating on defending its position in the center and south of the country, where Syria's principal cities are located. But into that vacuum rushed Islamist forces, seeking to build a contiguous territory with fellow Islamists in Iraq.

Hat tip: RoP