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Syrian Kurds 'drive Islamic State out of Kobane' | Syrian Kurds 'drive Islamic State out of Kobane' |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Kurdish forces have driven Islamic State (IS) militants from Kobane, officials say, ending a four-month battle for the northern Syrian town. | |
Fighters from the Popular Protection Units (YPG) were said to have entered outlying areas in the east of the town after the jihadists retreated. | Fighters from the Popular Protection Units (YPG) were said to have entered outlying areas in the east of the town after the jihadists retreated. |
However, the US said it was not yet prepared to declare the battle over. | |
Kobane was seen as a major test of the US-led coalition's strategy to combat IS in Syria with air strikes. | |
More than 160,000 people fled the mainly Kurdish town and crossed over the nearby border with Turkey after IS launched an assault in September. | |
The ensuing fighting has left at least 1,600 people dead, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group. | |
'Final clean-up' | |
Photographs posted on social media on Monday afternoon showed the YPG flag being flown from recaptured territory around Kobane, and male and female fighters shaking hands. | |
YPG spokesman Polat Jan meanwhile declared on Twitter: "Congratulations to humanity, Kurdistan, and the people of Kobane on the liberation of Kobane." | |
Anwar Muslim, the president of the self-declared Syrian Kurdish canton of Kobane, confirmed to the BBC that the town was fully under YPG control. | |
However, he added that the situation in the eastern outskirts were still "a little tense", with YPG fighters carrying out "the final clean-up" and besieging areas they believed IS leaders might be hiding. | |
Mr Muslim said the mood in Kobane was "very festive", and that the official liberation of the town after 131 days of resistance would be announced at a news conference shortly. | |
However, a US defence department spokesman declined to declare that the battle for Kobane was won. | |
"The battle continues. But as of now, friendly forces... I believe, have the momentum," Col Steve Warren told the Reuters news agency. | |
On Friday, the Pentagon said about 30% of the town was held by IS. |