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Besieged town of Kobani gets reinforcements in fight against Isis Besieged town of Kobani gets reinforcements in fight against Isis
(about 14 hours later)
More than 200 Iraqi peshmerga and Free Syrian Army soldiers are headed for the besieged town of Kobani to reinforce fighters who have held off Islamic State (Isis) for weeks in a battle that has become a crucial test for both sides.More than 200 Iraqi peshmerga and Free Syrian Army soldiers are headed for the besieged town of Kobani to reinforce fighters who have held off Islamic State (Isis) for weeks in a battle that has become a crucial test for both sides.
The new troops bring heavy weapons, the main request of the Kurdish militia who have kept their well-armed enemies at bay with a combination of assault rifles and occasional US air strikes.The new troops bring heavy weapons, the main request of the Kurdish militia who have kept their well-armed enemies at bay with a combination of assault rifles and occasional US air strikes.
They travelled through Turkey after a US lobbying campaign broke down Ankara’s opposition to allowing military convoys into Kobani.They travelled through Turkey after a US lobbying campaign broke down Ankara’s opposition to allowing military convoys into Kobani.
“The force is equipped with heavy guns including mortars, canons, rocket launchers etc,” said Safeen Dizayee, spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdistan regional government who said they sent the troops as a “moral, political and nationalistic duty”.“The force is equipped with heavy guns including mortars, canons, rocket launchers etc,” said Safeen Dizayee, spokesman for the Iraqi Kurdistan regional government who said they sent the troops as a “moral, political and nationalistic duty”.
“This force will not engage in frontline combat but will have a support role,” he said, adding that Kurdish fighters in the city said they had enough troops, but needed weapons and ammunition. More peshmerga fighters could be sent if needed.“This force will not engage in frontline combat but will have a support role,” he said, adding that Kurdish fighters in the city said they had enough troops, but needed weapons and ammunition. More peshmerga fighters could be sent if needed.
Jubilant crowds lined Turkish roads to cheer the military column rolling slowly from Iraqi Kurdistan to the border crossing between Turkey and Kobani, where another group who arrived by air were waiting for them.Jubilant crowds lined Turkish roads to cheer the military column rolling slowly from Iraqi Kurdistan to the border crossing between Turkey and Kobani, where another group who arrived by air were waiting for them.
“I’m very happy this day, because fighters from Iraqi Kurdistan are coming to help Kobani fight Isis,” said Ahmad Muhammad, a 22 year-old refugee from Kobani waiting to cheer the troops. “We have lost hope, and it is a ray of light to have this kind of support.”“I’m very happy this day, because fighters from Iraqi Kurdistan are coming to help Kobani fight Isis,” said Ahmad Muhammad, a 22 year-old refugee from Kobani waiting to cheer the troops. “We have lost hope, and it is a ray of light to have this kind of support.”
Their arrival crowns a dramatic turnaround in the fate of Kobani, which just a few weeks ago seemed all but doomed to a painful capitulation, as tens of thousands of refugees fled across the border in panic ahead of a blitzkreig-style Isis advance.Their arrival crowns a dramatic turnaround in the fate of Kobani, which just a few weeks ago seemed all but doomed to a painful capitulation, as tens of thousands of refugees fled across the border in panic ahead of a blitzkreig-style Isis advance.
US officials ordered air strikes then all but washed their hands of the town, with the US secretary of state, John Kerry, saying it was not a strategic objective and a Pentagon spokesman warning that bombs alone could not save it.US officials ordered air strikes then all but washed their hands of the town, with the US secretary of state, John Kerry, saying it was not a strategic objective and a Pentagon spokesman warning that bombs alone could not save it.
Kurdish forces’ skilful defence of the town led to hope that defeat might not be impossible, and won time to mobilise support worldwide through reports about Isis atrocities and the heroism of the defenders. Kurdish forces’ skilful defence of the town led to hope that defeat might not be inevitable, and won time to mobilise support worldwide through reports about Isis atrocities and the heroism of the defenders.
“Kobani turned into an opportunity, it became symbolic for the US to have a win, or at least defend people who were begging us to defend them,” said Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. “Strategically its not important, but it has tremendous symbolic value.”“Kobani turned into an opportunity, it became symbolic for the US to have a win, or at least defend people who were begging us to defend them,” said Joshua Landis, director of the Centre for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma. “Strategically its not important, but it has tremendous symbolic value.”
The US gradually stepped up military support with airdrops of weapons and other supplies, and an intense bombing campaign. In recent days there have been more air strikes at targets around Kobani than any other single location in Syria or Iraq, figures released by the US military’s central command show.The US gradually stepped up military support with airdrops of weapons and other supplies, and an intense bombing campaign. In recent days there have been more air strikes at targets around Kobani than any other single location in Syria or Iraq, figures released by the US military’s central command show.
The US also launched a diplomatic campaign to break down Turkish opposition to resupplying Kurdish fighters. Kobani is surrounded on three sides, so the only way supplies and fighters could get in was by air or through the Turkish border crossing.The US also launched a diplomatic campaign to break down Turkish opposition to resupplying Kurdish fighters. Kobani is surrounded on three sides, so the only way supplies and fighters could get in was by air or through the Turkish border crossing.
Ankara initially blocked most aid because of links between Kobani’s defenders and an armed Kurdish separatist group in Turkey, labelled a terrorist group. The Kurds say Turkey is still limiting the scale of assistance.Ankara initially blocked most aid because of links between Kobani’s defenders and an armed Kurdish separatist group in Turkey, labelled a terrorist group. The Kurds say Turkey is still limiting the scale of assistance.
“[The Turkish government] came up with different reasons for why they could not give permission, and the number of peshmerga kept decreasing, now there will only be 150 fighters,” Polat Can, a spokesman for YPG, the Kurdish group organising the defence of Kobani, told Turkish daily Radikal.“[The Turkish government] came up with different reasons for why they could not give permission, and the number of peshmerga kept decreasing, now there will only be 150 fighters,” Polat Can, a spokesman for YPG, the Kurdish group organising the defence of Kobani, told Turkish daily Radikal.
“We really appreciate that our peshmerga brothers will come to fight in Kobani, but one should not forget that with 150 people you cannot even form one unit. They will not have a big military impact.”“We really appreciate that our peshmerga brothers will come to fight in Kobani, but one should not forget that with 150 people you cannot even form one unit. They will not have a big military impact.”
Isis too has been throwing resources at the battle for Kobani, even as their gains in Iraq are being challenged by Kurds and the Iraqi army, and in Syria by the forces of President Bashar al Assad.Isis too has been throwing resources at the battle for Kobani, even as their gains in Iraq are being challenged by Kurds and the Iraqi army, and in Syria by the forces of President Bashar al Assad.
They probably originally targeted Kobani as a way to improve supply lines, remove a pocket of Kurdish opposition that could potentially be used to launch attacks on its heartland, and claim a new victory in the face of the US-led bombing campaign.They probably originally targeted Kobani as a way to improve supply lines, remove a pocket of Kurdish opposition that could potentially be used to launch attacks on its heartland, and claim a new victory in the face of the US-led bombing campaign.
With vehicles and weapons looted from Iraqi army bases to take on the ageing assault rifles of the Kurdish forces, it should have been a relatively easy fight.With vehicles and weapons looted from Iraqi army bases to take on the ageing assault rifles of the Kurdish forces, it should have been a relatively easy fight.
“Isis wanted Kobani to be its first clear victory under the [US] airstrikes,” said Hassan Hassan, an analyst at the Delma Institute, a research centre in Abu Dhabi.“Isis wanted Kobani to be its first clear victory under the [US] airstrikes,” said Hassan Hassan, an analyst at the Delma Institute, a research centre in Abu Dhabi.
“If that happened that would grant Isis huge popular capital, because it could show that it had been resilient fighting other rebel groups, fighting the Iraqi army and Syrian army and now despite US air strikes it is still holding on.”“If that happened that would grant Isis huge popular capital, because it could show that it had been resilient fighting other rebel groups, fighting the Iraqi army and Syrian army and now despite US air strikes it is still holding on.”
Their hopes of a rapid victory have evaporated, but it has now become a high-profile test of their ability to defy US air power versus a combined effort by their often fractious enemies, who have united at least temporarily in Kobani.Their hopes of a rapid victory have evaporated, but it has now become a high-profile test of their ability to defy US air power versus a combined effort by their often fractious enemies, who have united at least temporarily in Kobani.
Isis sent kidnapped British journalist John Cantile to Kobani to produce a propaganda video mimicking the style of a TV news report. In it he says his captors have nearly full control of the city and are just “mopping up” the last defenders, pointing out the apparent calm in the city.Isis sent kidnapped British journalist John Cantile to Kobani to produce a propaganda video mimicking the style of a TV news report. In it he says his captors have nearly full control of the city and are just “mopping up” the last defenders, pointing out the apparent calm in the city.
Because the fighting inside Kobani ebbs at times, it would be possible to produce a video in one of these periods of apparent calm. But the reinforcements, and particularly their heavy weapons, may mark a definitive shift in the battle.Because the fighting inside Kobani ebbs at times, it would be possible to produce a video in one of these periods of apparent calm. But the reinforcements, and particularly their heavy weapons, may mark a definitive shift in the battle.
“The Kurds have strength on the ground, the US is helping from the air and Iraqi Kurds are helping them with heavy weapons and skills, so they should be able to take back the parts of city controlled by Isis,” Hassan said. “It won’t happen in a day or two, they need to do it street by street.”“The Kurds have strength on the ground, the US is helping from the air and Iraqi Kurds are helping them with heavy weapons and skills, so they should be able to take back the parts of city controlled by Isis,” Hassan said. “It won’t happen in a day or two, they need to do it street by street.”