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| Syria crisis: IS re-enters Kurdish-held town of Kobane | Syria crisis: IS re-enters Kurdish-held town of Kobane |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Islamic State fighters have entered the Syrian town of Kobane, months after being driven out in a long battle with Kurdish troops, activists say. | Islamic State fighters have entered the Syrian town of Kobane, months after being driven out in a long battle with Kurdish troops, activists say. |
| Several people died in fierce clashes in the Syria-Turkey border town. | |
| The earlier battle made international headlines - heralding what some saw as a symbolic defeat for the IS. | The earlier battle made international headlines - heralding what some saw as a symbolic defeat for the IS. |
| IS has suffered a string of defeats to Kurdish forces since then. But in another attack on Thursday, it seized parts of the key city of Hassakeh. | |
| The militants have tried to capture Hassakeh, about 270km (180 miles) east of Kobane in north-eastern Syria, for months. | |
| The apparent two-pronged IS offensive came as Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) forces cut a major supply line for IS, capturing Ain Issa, just 50km (30 miles) from IS headquarters at Raqqa, days after seizing Tal Abyad. | |
| Kobane: Key facts: | Kobane: Key facts: |
| Key events in battle for Kobane | Key events in battle for Kobane |
| Kobane: Inside the town devastated by fight against IS | Kobane: Inside the town devastated by fight against IS |
| Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps | Battle for Iraq and Syria in maps |
| As well as cutting an IS supply line, the YPG's capture of Tal Abyad allowed the Kurds to link up other pockets they control along the Turkish border, from Iraq in the east to Kobane in the west. | As well as cutting an IS supply line, the YPG's capture of Tal Abyad allowed the Kurds to link up other pockets they control along the Turkish border, from Iraq in the east to Kobane in the west. |
| Raqqa is the de facto capital of the caliphate whose creation IS announced a year ago after it captured large swathes of northern and western Iraq. | Raqqa is the de facto capital of the caliphate whose creation IS announced a year ago after it captured large swathes of northern and western Iraq. |
| "IS detonated a suicide bomb in the area near the border crossing with Turkey," Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman said. | "IS detonated a suicide bomb in the area near the border crossing with Turkey," Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman said. |
| "Fierce clashes erupted afterwards in the centre of the town and there are bodies lying in the streets," he added. | "Fierce clashes erupted afterwards in the centre of the town and there are bodies lying in the streets," he added. |
| He said fighting was still raging on Thursday morning. | He said fighting was still raging on Thursday morning. |
| Hospital officials say at least 12 people have been killed and some 70 injured so far. | Hospital officials say at least 12 people have been killed and some 70 injured so far. |
| It is not clear how many people live in Kobane. | It is not clear how many people live in Kobane. |
| Elsewhere, Syrian rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad attacked government-held areas of the southern city of Deraa. | Elsewhere, Syrian rebels opposed to President Bashar al-Assad attacked government-held areas of the southern city of Deraa. |
| State TV says government forces, backed by air strikes, managed to repel the attack. | State TV says government forces, backed by air strikes, managed to repel the attack. |
| More than 200,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four years of armed conflict, which began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. | More than 200,000 Syrians have lost their lives in four years of armed conflict, which began with anti-government protests before escalating into a full-scale civil war. |
| More than 11 million others have been forced from their homes as forces loyal to President Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other - as well as jihadist militants from IS. | More than 11 million others have been forced from their homes as forces loyal to President Assad and those opposed to his rule battle each other - as well as jihadist militants from IS. |
| Did you witness the attack in Kobane? Are you in the area? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. Please make sure you are in a safe place before contacting us. | Did you witness the attack in Kobane? Are you in the area? Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk with your story. Please make sure you are in a safe place before contacting us. |
| If you would be happy to speak further to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. | If you would be happy to speak further to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. |
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