Syria Kurds vow fierce fightback

BEIRUT, Mar 19 (AFP): The city of Afrin has huge symbolic and strategic value for Syria's Kurdish minority but, faced with Turkey's immensely superior firepower, its fighters had little choice but to retreat.

Turkey-led forces raised the Turkish flag in the northwestern Kurdish-majority city on Sunday after a two-month assault to seize control of the surrounding enclave.

Their rapid takeover of the city is a huge blow to the Kurds, who have sought to set up a self-ruled region in Syria and are a key ally of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group.