An exclusive look at life in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani
'Abu Layla, commander of a Free Syrian Army-linked group in Kobani called Shams al-Shamal (Sun of the North) Brigade, said he is proud of what the FSA and the Kurdish fighters have achieved together in Kobani so far. Their alliance is called "Burkan al-Furat," Arabic for Volcano of the Euphrates. Abu Layla's group has over a hundred fighters, mostly ethnic Arabs and Turkmens from his hometown of Minbej.
He said he is not fighting for the Kurds, Arabs or Turkmens, or for Christians or Muslims.
"I'm fighting for a free democratic Syria, not an Islamic Syria but a free democratic Syria," he said. He has not lost sight of the real goal of the rebels, toppling President Bashar Assad. But he says the priority now is to get rid of the Islamic State group.
After that, taking down Assad "will be easy for us, if we have support." '