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US jets attack Isis near northern Syrian town as Turkish leader rebukes Biden US jets attack Isis near northern Syrian town as Turkish leader rebukes Biden
(about 1 hour later)
US-led war planes attacked Islamic State (Isis) targets around the Syrian border town of Kobani overnight as the insurgents pressed their assault against its Kurdish defenders, a monitoring group and witnesses said.US-led war planes attacked Islamic State (Isis) targets around the Syrian border town of Kobani overnight as the insurgents pressed their assault against its Kurdish defenders, a monitoring group and witnesses said.
Also on Friday, a video was released of the murder of a British aid worker, Alan Henning, the fourth western hostage killed in recent weeks, and warning that an American, Peter Kassig, would be killed next. Fighting continued around Kobani on Saturday. In Iraq, Isis fighters captured the town of Kubaisa, in the western Anbar province. Kubaisa fell two days after the fall of the nearby town of Hit, jeopardising the Ain al-Asad military base, which allows Iraqi forces to send troops and supplies to defend the Haditha dam further west.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday demanded an apology from the US vice-president, Joe Biden, and warned he would become “history for me” over comments in which he said the Turkish leader had admitted that Turkey had made mistakes by allowing foreign fighters to cross into Syria. On Friday, a video was released of the murder of a British aid worker, Alan Henning, the fourth western hostage killed in recent weeks, and warning that an American, Peter Kassig, would be killed next.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday demanded an apology from the US vice-president, Joe Biden, and warned he would become “history for me” over comments in which Biden said the Turkish leader had admitted Turkey had made mistakes by allowing foreign fighters to cross into Syria.
Erdogan denied ever saying that and told reporters in Istanbul that Biden “will be history for me if he has indeed used such expressions”.Erdogan denied ever saying that and told reporters in Istanbul that Biden “will be history for me if he has indeed used such expressions”.
Responding to questions following his speech at the Harvard Kennedy School on Thursday, Biden described Erdogan as “an old friend”. Biden added: “He [Erdogan] said: ‘You were right. We let too many people through.’ Now they’re trying to seal their border.”Responding to questions following his speech at the Harvard Kennedy School on Thursday, Biden described Erdogan as “an old friend”. Biden added: “He [Erdogan] said: ‘You were right. We let too many people through.’ Now they’re trying to seal their border.”
Erdogan said: “I have never said to him that we had made a mistake, never. If he did say this at Harvard then he has to apologise to us. Foreign fighters have never entered Syria from our country. They may come to our country as tourists and cross into Syria, but no one can say that they cross in with their arms.”Erdogan said: “I have never said to him that we had made a mistake, never. If he did say this at Harvard then he has to apologise to us. Foreign fighters have never entered Syria from our country. They may come to our country as tourists and cross into Syria, but no one can say that they cross in with their arms.”
The killing of Henning, meanwhile, drew immediate condemnation from western leaders. The British prime minister, David Cameron, said: “It is senseless. It is completely unforgivable. Anyone in any doubt about this organisation [Isis] can now see how truly repulsive it is and barbaric it is.The killing of Henning, meanwhile, drew immediate condemnation from western leaders. The British prime minister, David Cameron, said: “It is senseless. It is completely unforgivable. Anyone in any doubt about this organisation [Isis] can now see how truly repulsive it is and barbaric it is.
“This is going to be our struggle now, that with others we must do everything we can to defeat this organisation. We must take action against it and we must find those responsible.”“This is going to be our struggle now, that with others we must do everything we can to defeat this organisation. We must take action against it and we must find those responsible.”
Previous coalition air strikes have failed to stop the insurgent offensive on the predominantly Kurdish Kobani and outgunned Kurdish fighters have put up a desperate fight as shells rained down on the town over the past week. Previous coalition air strikes have failed to stop the insurgent offensive on the predominantly Kurdish Kobani and outgunned Kurdish fighters have put up a desperate fight as shells rained down on the town over the past week. Isis shelled the town again on Saturday and its Kurdish defenders said they were expecting a new assault. Saturday’s barrages were less intense than the previous day.
An estimated 180,000 people have fled across the border into Turkey to escape the bloodshed. Isis fighters have vowed to take the town within days, saying they would pray in Kobani’s mosques for the Muslim religious festival of Eid al-Adha, which began on Saturday. “Clashes continue now, they are shelling on all three fronts. They tried to invade Kobani last night but they were repelled,” senior Kurdish official Asya Abdullah told Reuters from the town.
Warplanes from the US-led coalition of western and regional forces carried out raids in the countryside to the east and south of Kobani on Friday night, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. One Islamic State vehicle had been destroyed. “We think they are planning to launch another big attack but YPG is prepared to resist them,” she said, referring to the Kurdish armed group defending the town.
Kurdish and Isis forces battled as night fell and more shells landed inside the town although there was no immediate word of casualties, the observatory said. Sporadic heavy weapons fire could be heard east of Kobani, a Reuters correspondent said.
The Isis offensive has intensified in recent days and Friday’s shelling of Kobani was the heaviest yet, according to Parwer Mohammed Ali, a translator with the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) who is inside the town. An estimated 180,000 people have fled across the border into Turkey to escape the bloodshed. Isis fighters have vowed to take Kobani within days, saying they would pray in its mosques for the Muslim religious festival of Eid al-Adha, which began on Saturday.
Warplanes from the US-led coalition of western and regional forces carried out raids in the countryside to the east and south of Kobani on Friday night, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. One Islamic State vehicle was destroyed.
Friday’s shelling of Kobani was the heaviest yet, according to Parwer Mohammed Ali, a translator with the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) who is inside the town.
“Shelling normally calms at night because Isis is afraid of being spotted by the jets but last night they continued the severe shelling and tried to invade,” Parwer said.“Shelling normally calms at night because Isis is afraid of being spotted by the jets but last night they continued the severe shelling and tried to invade,” Parwer said.
Around 90 shells had hit the town and at least two civilians were killed in Friday’s fighting. Three air strikes were audible from the south and east of the town on Friday evening, Parwer said.Around 90 shells had hit the town and at least two civilians were killed in Friday’s fighting. Three air strikes were audible from the south and east of the town on Friday evening, Parwer said.
The fighting had died down on Saturday although sporadic heavy weapons fire could be heard east of Kobani, a Reuters correspondent said.
Isis stepped up its offensive close to the Turkish border last month, seizing surrounding villages and advancing to within a few miles of Kobani, which is also known as Ayn al-Arab. Its capture would allow Isis to consolidate its hold on swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq.Isis stepped up its offensive close to the Turkish border last month, seizing surrounding villages and advancing to within a few miles of Kobani, which is also known as Ayn al-Arab. Its capture would allow Isis to consolidate its hold on swaths of territory in Syria and Iraq.
Swift offensives by Isis since June have sent shockwaves through the region and attracted thousands of so-called “foreign fighters” to their cause.Swift offensives by Isis since June have sent shockwaves through the region and attracted thousands of so-called “foreign fighters” to their cause.
The US, with support from western and regional allies, has carried out a series of bombing raids against Islamic State to halt the insurgents’ rapid advance.The US, with support from western and regional allies, has carried out a series of bombing raids against Islamic State to halt the insurgents’ rapid advance.