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Kobane: Islamic State battles to encircle Syrian Kurds Kobane: Islamic State battles to encircle Syrian Kurds
(about 2 hours later)
Gunfire and explosions can be heard from the Syrian border town of Kobane where Islamic State fighters are trying to encircle its Kurdish defenders. The Kurdish defenders of the Syrian border town of Kobane have held back advancing Islamic State fighters, with the US supplying air support.
The Kurds repulsed a pre-dawn attack and still control the town's border crossing point with Turkey.The Kurds repulsed a pre-dawn attack and still control the town's border crossing point with Turkey.
The crossing point is a vital supply and exit route, correspondents say. Correspondents say the crossing point is a vital supply and exit route.
In Iraq, officials in Anbar province reportedly made an urgent appeal for military help against IS, warning the region could be overrrun. The Pentagon reports that US planes have been bombing IS targets to the north and south of Kobane since Friday.
The US-led coalition is continuing air strikes against IS in both Iraq and Syria but the Kurds in Kobane say they urgently need more weapons and ammunition. US and other aircraft from the international coalition also carried out air strikes on IS targets inside Iraq as well as dropping supplies to Iraqi government forces at Baiji, where Iraq's biggest oil refinery is located.
The US has itself said that air strikes alone may not be able to save the town. In Iraq's Anbar province, officials reportedly made an urgent appeal for military help against IS.
Haze and dustHaze and dust
As the sounds of battle continued on Saturday, haze and dust obscured Kobane, making air strikes more difficult but not impossible, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville said in a tweet from the Syria-Turkey border.As the sounds of battle continued on Saturday, haze and dust obscured Kobane, making air strikes more difficult but not impossible, the BBC's Quentin Sommerville said in a tweet from the Syria-Turkey border.
The Kurdish militiamen have pushed back the latest IS advance but the militants are being easily resupplied from the south and the east and are able to launch further attacks, our correspondent says.The Kurdish militiamen have pushed back the latest IS advance but the militants are being easily resupplied from the south and the east and are able to launch further attacks, our correspondent says.
Amid the sound of gunfire, black plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the south and west of the town, another foreign journalist at the scene, Derek Henry Flood, tweeted.Amid the sound of gunfire, black plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the south and west of the town, another foreign journalist at the scene, Derek Henry Flood, tweeted.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported two more air strikes. According to the Pentagon, the new US air strikes on IS targets at Kobane hit an IS fighting position, damaged a command and control facility, destroyed a staging building; struck two small units of fighters; and destroyed three lorries.
Several hundred civilians are still believed to be in Kobane. UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has warned they could be massacred by IS if the town falls.Several hundred civilians are still believed to be in Kobane. UN envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura has warned they could be massacred by IS if the town falls.
Since the IS offensive against Kobane began in mid-September, some 500 people have been killed and up to 200,000 have fled across the border into Turkey.Since the IS offensive against Kobane began in mid-September, some 500 people have been killed and up to 200,000 have fled across the border into Turkey.
Two Kurdish fighters, a man and a woman, were buried on Saturday in a cemetery just outside the Turkish town of Suruc, across the border from Kobane.
The burial ceremony, attended by some 200 people, ended with chants of "Long live Kobane!", AP reports.
Mr de Mistura called on Turkey to allow Kurdish volunteers to cross into Syria with equipment "to be able to enter the city to contribute to a self-defence operation".Mr de Mistura called on Turkey to allow Kurdish volunteers to cross into Syria with equipment "to be able to enter the city to contribute to a self-defence operation".
Turkey has ranged its military forces on the border but has so far ruled out any ground operation on its own, and has refused to allow Kurds in Turkey to cross the border to fight.Turkey has ranged its military forces on the border but has so far ruled out any ground operation on its own, and has refused to allow Kurds in Turkey to cross the border to fight.
Accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of inaction, Kurdish refugees from Kobane told Reuters news agency they feared they would be unable to return to their homes.Accusing Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of inaction, Kurdish refugees from Kobane told Reuters news agency they feared they would be unable to return to their homes.
"If the United States helps us, we could return," said one. "If the United States is willing to help, not like Erdogan, we could return today. But countries are just looking at us. What they're waiting for, I don't know. They watch to see what will happen. You see the situation here and people are not in good shape. People die, including children. We are homeless." "If the United States helps us, we could return," said one. "If the United States is willing to help, not like Erdogan, we could return today."
'Fragile' At least 20,000 Kurds living in Germany have marched in the city of Duesseldorf to highlight the threat to Kurds in Kobane.
Air drops
US and Dutch aircraft attacked IS targets near the towns of Tal Afar and Hit in northern Iraq, the Pentagon said in a statement.
In the operation in the Baiji area, food, water and ammunition were dropped to Iraqi security forces.
At least 14 people died in violence in Iraq on Saturday: four injured soldiers were killed when their ambulance was attacked in a "friendly fire" incident near Baquba while a suicide bomber killed at least seven people in a market in Meshahda, near Baghdad.At least 14 people died in violence in Iraq on Saturday: four injured soldiers were killed when their ambulance was attacked in a "friendly fire" incident near Baquba while a suicide bomber killed at least seven people in a market in Meshahda, near Baghdad.
Meanwhile in Anbar, the provincial council asked for US ground troops to help fight IS, the Dubai-based Iraqi TV channel Al-Sharqiyah reports. In Anbar, the provincial council asked for US ground troops to help fight IS, the Dubai-based Iraqi TV channel Al-Sharqiyah reports.
The vice-president of the council, Faleh al-Issawi, warned Anbar could "fall in 10 days".The vice-president of the council, Faleh al-Issawi, warned Anbar could "fall in 10 days".
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi has repeatedly ruled out any foreign ground troops in Iraq.
IS has been attacking Anbar's capital Ramadi and has seized army bases in the area.
A US official told AFP news agency the situation in Anbar was "fragile".
The US military has carried out several air strikes on IS militants, preventing them from seizing the strategic Haditha dam.
IS fighters control large stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq. The group is known for its brutal tactics, including mass killings, abductions of members of religious and ethnic minorities, and the beheadings of soldiers and journalists.IS fighters control large stretches of territory in Syria and Iraq. The group is known for its brutal tactics, including mass killings, abductions of members of religious and ethnic minorities, and the beheadings of soldiers and journalists.