she s also the author of from freedom fighter tojihadist: non state armed groups human resources, and joins us from new orleans. thank you very much indeed for your time. what do you put this particular attack down to? why has it flared up right now? i think we were expecting has it flared up right now? i think we were expecting some kind of attack any minute. it is not a surprise. everyone was watching the situation in syria for a long time, we knew that thatis for a long time, we knew that that is where it is getting too, right. they were openly always saying that was their target, not only saying it but it was their first target. the question was asked when it was going to happen. it happened now. everyone was basically expecting it to happen. it expecting it to happen. it seems as if the kurdish forces have regained some element of