As Turkey's military ramps up air strikes and a ground offensive into Kurdish-held parts of northeastern Syria, the Nashville Kurdish community announced it will hold a demonstration in Music City, home to the largest Kurdish population in the nation.

The peace demonstration comes after President Donald Trump this week decided to withdraw American troops from northern Syria, where their presence fighting alongside others against the Islamic State had long served to deter attacks.

Turkey, which has accused the Kurds of being terrorists, began their assault on Kurdish forces on Wednesday. At least 16 fighters of the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces have been killed and dozens injured, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Nashville has more Kurdish residents than any other city in the U.S., with a population of at least 15,000 in recent years.

PAST COVERAGE:Hundreds protest in downtown Nashville in support of Kurdistan

"We (will be out there) to show our unity and support, to show that Rojava, Syrian Kurds are not alone and that we are protesting and bringing awareness to their cries for help," said Klavish Faraj who lives in Bellevue but was born in Rojava.

Although Faraj was born in Syria, she said he's lived in the states her whole life.

"My dad migrated here in the '70s, and yet here we are 40 years from then still protesting on the same Nashville streets, conquering ISIS, accepting all religions in the Middle Eastern region of Kurdistan," Faraj said. "My mom and sister are currently in Syria and are experiencing the trauma the Kurds in the region experience on a daily basis.

"We are talking about young children and teenage girls having to learn how to use weapons to protect their home and families," Fara said. "The only crime they have committed is being Kurdish, and that's not a crime. This is a genocide, and the Kurds are asking for protection."

The demonstration is set for Friday from 1:30-4:30 p.m. outside the Federal Court House at 801 Broadway.

Trump's Syria decision

On Sunday Trump announced his decision to withdraw U.S. troops after a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

As Turkey launched punishing airstrikes in northern Syria, Trump defended his decision to clear the way for the attack and played down the alliance with the Kurds, saying they did not fight alongside the United States in World War II.

“They didn't help us in the Second World War, they didn't help us with Normandy as an example,” the president said, responding to questions about a bipartisan backlash over his decision. "That’s a different thing.”

Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed outrage over the decision, saying it was a betrayal of staunch American allies.

MORE:U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Lamar Alexander oppose president's withdrawal of troops in Syria

While lawmakers said the U.S. owed the Kurds a huge debt for their help containing ISIS, Trump said they were fighting for their land in an age-old conflict. He added that the U.S. had "spent tremendous amounts of money helping the Kurds" with ammunition, money and aid.

David Jackson and John Fritze with USA TODAY contributed to this report. Reach Natalie Neysa Alund at nalund@tennessean.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.