Associated Press
MURSITPINAR, Turkey (AP) — In the Turkish town of Suruc, across the border from the beleaguered Syrian town of Kobani, several hundred people gathered Tuesday at a cemetery to bury four female Kurdish fighters who died there fighting extremists from the Islamic State group.
Waving colorful Kurdish flags and with many wearing traditional headscarves, they chanted slogans in support of their brethren in Kobani, where Kurdish fighters are zealously defending the town.
The four coffins, draped in Kurdish flags and the flag of the main Kurdish militia fighting in Kobani — known as the YPG — were lowered into the ground as some people cried silently. Others wept more openly.
Many families came to pray for other fighters who were killed in previous days and have been buried at the same cemetery. They were seen sitting by the makeshift graves of their loved ones, crying. Some placed flowers on top of graves.
Here are a series of images by Associated Press photojournalist Lefteris Pitarakis of the funeral.
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