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U.S. Considers a No-Fly Zone to Protect Civilians From Airstrikes by Syria U.S. Considers a No-Fly Zone to Protect Civilians From Airstrikes by Syria
(about 2 hours later)
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has not ruled out establishing a no-fly zone over northeastern Syria to protect civilians from airstrikes by the Syrian government, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday.WASHINGTON — The Obama administration has not ruled out establishing a no-fly zone over northeastern Syria to protect civilians from airstrikes by the Syrian government, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Friday.
Mr. Hagel and General Dempsey indicated they are open to considering the request of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey for a buffer zone along the Turkish-Syrian border, where tens of thousands of Syrians have sought refuge. Mr. Hagel said, “We’ve discussed all these possibilities and will continue to talk about what the Turks believe they will require.” He said 1.3 million Syrian refugees are now in Turkey.Mr. Hagel and General Dempsey indicated they are open to considering the request of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey for a buffer zone along the Turkish-Syrian border, where tens of thousands of Syrians have sought refuge. Mr. Hagel said, “We’ve discussed all these possibilities and will continue to talk about what the Turks believe they will require.” He said 1.3 million Syrian refugees are now in Turkey.
General Dempsey added that “a buffer zone might at some point become a possibility,” but he said it was not imminent. Creating a buffer, or no-fly zone, would require warplanes to disable the Syrian government’s air defense system through airstrikes.General Dempsey added that “a buffer zone might at some point become a possibility,” but he said it was not imminent. Creating a buffer, or no-fly zone, would require warplanes to disable the Syrian government’s air defense system through airstrikes.
Both men spoke as the Pentagon continued its own airstrikes against Sunni militants who are battling President Bashar al-Assad of Syria — a complication of the American military campaign in Syria, which began this week with airstrikes against the extremist Islamic State group. Both men spoke as the Pentagon continued its own airstrikes against the Islamic State. The extremist group is battling President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and Syrian insurgents backed by the United States — a complication of the American military campaign in Syria that began this week.
On Friday in Turkey, the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Kobani near the border with Turkey was on the verge of falling to Islamic State militants, residents said. They said they had struggled to fight off the militants all week even as an American-led coalition launched airstrikes against the Islamic State elsewhere in Syria.  On Friday in Turkey, the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Kobani near the border with Turkey was on the verge of falling to Islamic State militants, residents said. Kurdish militants there said they had struggled to fight off the militants all week even as an American-led coalition launched airstrikes against the Islamic State elsewhere in Syria.
      By late afternoon, Islamic State militants could be seen along the border both east and west of the main town of Kobani, also known as Ain al-Arab, a constellation of mostly Kurdish farming villages with a population of 400,000. Fighting intensified as night fell, with heavy clashes reported near the town.  By late afternoon, Islamic State militants could be seen along the border both east and west of the main town of Kobani, also known as Ain al-Arab, a constellation of mostly Kurdish farming villages with a population of 400,000. Fighting intensified as night fell, with heavy clashes reported near the town.
       Refugees fleeing into Turkey and Kurdish fighters seeking to cross into Syria to defend Kobani expressed anger and perplexity that the American-led coalition had not launched airstrikes against their assailants to avert what the refugees said would be a massacre. The Islamic State’s attacks on Kurdish civilians in Iraq triggered the first American strikes on the group last month.  Refugees fleeing into Turkey and Kurdish fighters seeking to cross into Syria to defend Kobani expressed anger and perplexity that the American-led coalition had not launched airstrikes against their assailants to avert what the refugees said would be a massacre. The Islamic State’s attacks on Kurdish civilians in Iraq triggered the first American strikes on the group last month.
       “If they need to locate them I can insert a smart chip in my heart and go to the Islamic State fighters,” said Hajjar Sheikh Mohammad, 22, a Syrian Kurd trying to return to Syria to fight, suggesting that he would sacrifice himself to spot Islamic State targets for American warplanes. “If they need to locate them I can insert a smart chip in my heart and go to the Islamic State fighters,” said Hajjar Sheikh Mohammad, 22, a Syrian Kurd trying to return to Syria to fight, suggesting that he would sacrifice himself to spot Islamic State targets for American warplanes.
       Increasingly desperate Kurds broke through a border fence on Friday afternoon in the border village of Mursitpinar and crossed in both directions, with women, children and old men streaming into Turkey with livestock and belongings, and men crossing into Syria, unarmed but determined to fight. Turkish security forces then fired tear gas canisters into the crowd at short range, sending people fleeing in panic. Increasingly desperate Kurds broke through a border fence on Friday afternoon in the border village of Mursitpinar and crossed in both directions, with women, children and old men streaming into Turkey with livestock and belongings, and men crossing into Syria, unarmed but determined to fight. Turkish forces fired tear gas canisters into the crowd at short range, sending people fleeing in panic.
     The Kurdish People’s Protection Units had been issuing urgent calls for help, saying they had only light weapons and were struggling to hold off Islamic State fighters who are armed with tanks and artillery. The Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or Y.P.G., had been issuing urgent calls for help, saying they had only light weapons and were struggling to hold off Islamic State fighters who are armed with tanks and artillery. But aiding the group could be politically difficult because of its link to the P.K.K., a Turkey-based Kurdish separatist group that Turkey and the United States consider a terrorist organization. In the news conference at the Pentagon, General Dempsey indicated that a moderate Syrian rebel force of about 12,000 to 15,000 fighters would be needed to defeat the Islamic State — three times the number of fighters that the United States is planning to train. But he said the current plan for 5,000 fighters to be trained and armed by the United States in Saudi Arabia was never meant to be a ceiling.
  In the news conference at the Pentagon, General Dempsey indicated that a moderate Syrian rebel force of about 12,000 to 15,000 fighters would be needed to defeat the Islamic State — three times the number of fighters that the United States is planning to train. But he said the current plan for 5,000 fighters to be trained and armed by the United States in Saudi Arabia was never meant to be a ceiling.
Congress last week approved the Obama administration’s proposal to train and equip up to 5,000 moderate members of the Syrian opposition; the State Department and the Pentagon have been evaluating people before beginning the training program in Saudi Arabia.Congress last week approved the Obama administration’s proposal to train and equip up to 5,000 moderate members of the Syrian opposition; the State Department and the Pentagon have been evaluating people before beginning the training program in Saudi Arabia.
Both Mr. Hagel and General Dempsey acknowledged that even with airstrikes in Syria, degrading and defeating the Islamic State — President Obama’s stated goal — could not happen without troops on the ground. “No one is under any illusions that airstrikes alone will destroy ISIL,” Mr. Hagel said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State. Both Mr. Hagel and General Dempsey acknowledged that even with airstrikes in Syria, degrading and defeating the Islamic State — President Obama’s stated goal — could not happen without troops on the ground.
He put the cost of the American military campaign in Iraq and Syria at between $7 million and $10 million a day. Mr. Hagel put the cost of the American military campaign in Iraq and Syria at between $7 million and $10 million a day.
Separately, United States Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said that American warplanes conducted 10 more airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Thursday and Friday. The warplanes destroyed three Humvees and one vehicle, disabled two armed vehicles and damaged one mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, in five airstrikes south of Kirkuk.Separately, United States Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, said that American warplanes conducted 10 more airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria on Thursday and Friday. The warplanes destroyed three Humvees and one vehicle, disabled two armed vehicles and damaged one mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP, in five airstrikes south of Kirkuk.
Airstrikes west of Baghdad destroyed a guard shack, an armed vehicle and a bunker. An airstrike near Al Qaim destroyed four armed vehicles, a command and control position and a checkpoint.Airstrikes west of Baghdad destroyed a guard shack, an armed vehicle and a bunker. An airstrike near Al Qaim destroyed four armed vehicles, a command and control position and a checkpoint.
In Syria, three strikes south of Deir al-Zour destroyed four tanks and damaged another, according to the Central Command.In Syria, three strikes south of Deir al-Zour destroyed four tanks and damaged another, according to the Central Command.