Turkish-backed opposition protests against France, raises ISIS flags in NE Syria’s Sere Kaniye’s

(North Press) – Members of the Turkish-backed armed opposition groups raised ISIS flags in the Turkish-held city of Sere Kaniye, northeastern Syria, during their Sunday protest of the French President’s stance regarding cartoons of the Muslim prophet Muhammad.  

Video recordings were posted on social media from Sere Kaniye showing members of the opposition groups in al-Joza Roundabout in the city center raising the ISIS flag and singing jihadist songs.

Other video recordings showed pro-opposition protestors roaming in the streets and raising banners and pictures of the French President, Emmanuel Macron, and chanted slogans condemning “offending Muhammad.”

At the memorial service for teacher Samuel Paty, the French President, Emmanuel Macron stated that his country “will carry the banner of secularism high, and will not abandon the caricature even if some retreat.”        

This was followed by a diplomatic escalation between France and Turkey, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that his French counterpart Macron “needs to be subjected to a mental health test.” 

Last week, the French police announced the killing of a man minutes after he beheaded history teacher Samuel Paty in a suburb of Paris. The incident came against the background of the teacher displaying a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad to his students, which Muslims consider blasphemy, according to a police source.

Turkish Armed Forces and Turkish-backed armed opposition groups took control of the city of Sere Kaniye in October of 2019. Since this time, residents in the region have reported many human rights abuses, including theft, looting, assault, kidnapping and murder.