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Kobane: IS and Syria Kurds in fierce gun battles | Kobane: IS and Syria Kurds in fierce gun battles |
(35 minutes later) | |
Kurdish fighters are engaged in fierce gun battles with Islamic State (IS) in the Syrian border town of Kobane, as US-led coalition air strikes continue. | Kurdish fighters are engaged in fierce gun battles with Islamic State (IS) in the Syrian border town of Kobane, as US-led coalition air strikes continue. |
A BBC correspondent near the fighting says dozens of weapons are firing, with regular grenade explosions. | A BBC correspondent near the fighting says dozens of weapons are firing, with regular grenade explosions. |
In its latest report, the US Central Command said six air strikes had destroyed IS weaponry around Kobane. | |
The UN envoy for Syria has urged the international community to act now to prevent IS from seizing the key town. | The UN envoy for Syria has urged the international community to act now to prevent IS from seizing the key town. |
Staffan de Mistura told the BBC that the fall of Kobane would be "a massacre and a humanitarian tragedy". | Staffan de Mistura told the BBC that the fall of Kobane would be "a massacre and a humanitarian tragedy". |
Seizing the entire town would give the IS jihadists full control of a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border, which has been a primary route for foreign fighters getting into Syria, as well as allowing IS to traffic oil from oilfields it has captured. | Seizing the entire town would give the IS jihadists full control of a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border, which has been a primary route for foreign fighters getting into Syria, as well as allowing IS to traffic oil from oilfields it has captured. |
Three weeks of fighting over Kobane has cost the lives of 400 people, and forced more than 160,000 Syrians to flee across the border to Turkey. | Three weeks of fighting over Kobane has cost the lives of 400 people, and forced more than 160,000 Syrians to flee across the border to Turkey. |
At the scene: Paul Adams, BBC world affairs correspondent | At the scene: Paul Adams, BBC world affairs correspondent |
Two days after fighters from Islamic State entered Kobane, a battle is raging for the town's eastern streets. | Two days after fighters from Islamic State entered Kobane, a battle is raging for the town's eastern streets. |
We reached the border, within a few hundred yards of the fighting, and I have rarely heard anything quite like it. | We reached the border, within a few hundred yards of the fighting, and I have rarely heard anything quite like it. |
At times, it seems dozens of weapons are firing at once, and there are regular grenade explosions too. Thick black smoke is rising from buildings on fire. | At times, it seems dozens of weapons are firing at once, and there are regular grenade explosions too. Thick black smoke is rising from buildings on fire. |
US-led coalition air strikes have been concentrated on the western reaches of the city, where the IS advance seems to have been halted. | US-led coalition air strikes have been concentrated on the western reaches of the city, where the IS advance seems to have been halted. |
Jets can still be heard flying overhead. | Jets can still be heard flying overhead. |
'Retreat' | |
IS fighters are trying to retake areas in the east that they have lost control of as a result of coalition air strikes, says the head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. | IS fighters are trying to retake areas in the east that they have lost control of as a result of coalition air strikes, says the head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group. |
Rami Abdel Rahman, quoted by AFP, said IS had earlier retreated from parts of the eastern and south-western edges of the town and was no longer present on the western front. | Rami Abdel Rahman, quoted by AFP, said IS had earlier retreated from parts of the eastern and south-western edges of the town and was no longer present on the western front. |
Our correspondent says Kurdish fighters feel emboldened a day after witnessing coalition air strikes on Kobane that brought the IS advance to a halt. | |
The US Central Command listed the damage done by six coalition air strikes south and south-west of Kobane over Tuesday and Wednesday. | |
It said an armoured personnel carrier, four "armed vehicles" and two artillery pieces were destroyed. | |
There were three further air strikes on IS in other parts of Syria and five in Iraq. | |
A senior official in Kobane, Idriss Nassan, told Reuters news agency the IS militants had suffered "their biggest retreat since their entry into the city". | |
"They are now outside the entrances of the city of Kobane. The shelling and bombardment was very effective and as a result of it, IS have been pushed from many positions." | |
However, the leader of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Unity Party (PYD) said the situation remained very serious, with fighters from its armed wing, the Popular Protection Units (YPG), under intense pressure. | |
"There is heavy fighting going on by YPG forces and they're trying to defend the civilians," Salih Muslim said. "There is a very large operation against them." | "There is heavy fighting going on by YPG forces and they're trying to defend the civilians," Salih Muslim said. "There is a very large operation against them." |
In New York, the UN's special envoy for Syria said the Syrian Kurds had defended Kobane with great courage and the international community should now take concrete action to support them. | In New York, the UN's special envoy for Syria said the Syrian Kurds had defended Kobane with great courage and the international community should now take concrete action to support them. |
Meanwhile, a senior US official told the New York Times that "there's growing angst about Turkey dragging its feet to act to prevent a massacre less than a mile from its border". | Meanwhile, a senior US official told the New York Times that "there's growing angst about Turkey dragging its feet to act to prevent a massacre less than a mile from its border". |
"After all the fulminating about Syria's humanitarian catastrophe, they're inventing reasons not to act to avoid another catastrophe," the official said. | "After all the fulminating about Syria's humanitarian catastrophe, they're inventing reasons not to act to avoid another catastrophe," the official said. |
Last week Turkey's parliament authorised military action against the jihadists in Iraq and Syria, but so far no action has been taken. | Last week Turkey's parliament authorised military action against the jihadists in Iraq and Syria, but so far no action has been taken. |
Turkey has come under increasing pressure to do more to help the Kurdish forces fighting in Kobane. | Turkey has come under increasing pressure to do more to help the Kurdish forces fighting in Kobane. |
At least 14 people were killed in protests by Kurds in Turkey on Tuesday over the lack of Turkish military support. | At least 14 people were killed in protests by Kurds in Turkey on Tuesday over the lack of Turkish military support. |
What are Turkey's demands and can they be met? | |
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that air power alone could not defeat IS: "We had warned the West. We wanted three things: no-fly zone, a secure zone parallel to that, and the training of moderate Syrian rebels." | President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that air power alone could not defeat IS: "We had warned the West. We wanted three things: no-fly zone, a secure zone parallel to that, and the training of moderate Syrian rebels." |
He said that "the terror will not be over... unless we co-operate for a ground operation", although he gave no further details. | He said that "the terror will not be over... unless we co-operate for a ground operation", although he gave no further details. |
Are you in or near Kobane? Get in contact by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Are you in or near Kobane? Get in contact by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file, you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file, you can upload here. |
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