THE CASE OF KOBANE (2014 - 2015): AN ETHICAL ANALYSIS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S [IN]ACTIONS
THE CASE OF KOBANE (2014 - 2015): AN ETHICAL ANALYSIS OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY’S [IN]ACTIONS

Summary/Abstract: The contemporary world is riddled with numerous active regional conflicts (i.e. the situation in Syria, the developments in Iraq, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Kashmir, failed states like Libya, Mali, Somalia, etc.) in which the global and regional actors are deeply involved. These crises lead to population displacements, refugees, and can even become a recruitment pool for extremist and terrorist groups. There are currently around 23 million migrants living in Europe, many of whom left their country not because of economic reasons, but because of the risks to their life. The migration trend to EU countries remains stable, with no signs of slowing down, the main driving force being the insecurity caused by armed conflicts. This paper analyzes the case of Kobane and argues, using a just war theory framework, why it is necessary for the international community to defend the fundamental rights of a community (in this case, a minority group) against abuses from a terrorist group that had not only demonstrated its combat capability, but also had been known to subject the residents of the conquered areas to inhuman treatments. The goal of this research is to explain why it is a necessity for the international community to act before the situation on the ground reaches the point that the vulnerable communities face annihilation, before the conflict reaches a tipping point that triggers mass human displacements and migrations, transforming people into victims.

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