After months of fighting, Kurdish fighters battling the Islamic State jihadists in Syria finally succeeded in recapturing the key town of Kobane. The Kurds defeat of the Islamic State jihadists was widely celebrated as a victory for the forces of moderation and toleration against extremists. Rightly so.
If ever there was a just war, this would appear to be one. But even in this war, there are ultimately no real winners. Everyone involved loses something – lives, dignity, relationships, hope, aspirations, community, property. This Associated Press photo of the “liberated” Kobane tells it all. It could well be a scene from the apocalypse. A remainder that in war, there are no real winners.
More photos below
