Islamic State: Fresh fighting in key Syrian town of Kobane

[webfact]

Islamic State: Fresh fighting in key Syrian town of Kobane

(BBC) Fierce fighting has erupted in the north of the Syrian town of Kobane, after two days of relative calm.

Kurdish defenders were thought to have pushed back Islamic State (IS) militants trying to take over the town, including from this area.

US-led forces carried out six air strikes around Kobane on Sunday and Monday, the US military said.

Kobane, on the Turkish border, is a key objective for IS, and the fighting has forced most civilians to leave.

The new fighting came as Turkey said it would allow Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters to cross into Syria to fight IS.

The BBC's Kasra Naji on the Turkish border says the decision is a major boost for the defenders' morale, and soon for their fighting capability.

Officials in the Iraqi Kurdish region said they were ready to send forces but had so far received no orders.

Turkey, faced with a long insurgency by its own Kurds, has until now barred access for Kurdish fighters to Syria, but correspondents say Ankara is more sympathetic to Kurds in Iraq.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29698930


-- BBC 2014-10-21

[coma]

This battle would be over in a flash if the US worked with Damascus. A Syrian Army ground assault from the south with the Kurds in the north would either kill or capture the lot of them.

[Ulysses G.]

Why did it take us - America - so long to resupply the Kurds? Better late than never I guess.

Edited October 21, 2014 by Ulysses G.

[Publicus]

Washington and coalition allies have finally prevailed on Ankara to go into the water, at least to up above its ankles.

Ankara's loss in trying to gain a rotating seat on the UN Security Council seems to have been a wake up bucket of ice water.

After the coalition commanders met in Washington last week to devise a new strategy IS has been bombed and now newly attacked. Coalition military commanders are now saying outright that IS won't take the city..

IS is now losing money each day, fighters, equipment, supplies to include fuel and more. This isn't necessarily a turning point but it isn't the past couple of weeks either.

[spidermike007]

If only these fools had a good upbringing, with kind, compassionate parents, who gave them the kind of support that is required to raise a decent human being. If only they had some opportunity as young men, to do something with their lives. If only they told the mullahs how completely full of shit they are, when they start mouthing off about 72 virgins, and a place in heaven, and all the other horse crap that has nothing to do with religion, spirituality, truth, or wisdom, but rather hatred, warmongering, terror, and intolerance. Who would want 72 virgins anyway? All that innocence in one place. Boring. The ISIS guys, like Al Queda, and a group of very insecure men, who are mostly impotent, and have little else to do with the energy that normally comes with being a healthy, kind, loving person. Some aspect of their wiring is faulty, and they somehow figure there is nothing else to do with their lives but wreak destruction, threaten unarmed people, hassle fine upstanding women and girls, and kill people for listening to music, dancing, having fun, and enjoying their lives. Their right to breathe oxygen is non-existent.

The reality is that most of the Muslim world is very moderate. Only 1 or 2% are super freaks. The Wahhabis come to mind. But, it is apparent that the average Muslim, who is moderate, needs to start speaking up, and figure out a way to be heard, or else the entire world is going to turn against a noble faith.

Edited October 21, 2014 by spidermike007

[ggt]

These people have been fighting one another for thousands of years...fighting over turf...religion...water...and anything else that did not please them...it will go on forever...with or without the intervention of the West...

This is a lose...lose...situation...sad for the innocent civilians caught up in the continuous madness...

[stephen terry]

Perhaps someone more informed could help me. Why hasn't the US cut-off ISIS money/weapons supply?

[arjunadawn]

Perhaps someone more informed could help me. Why hasn't the US cut-off ISIS money/weapons supply?

Your question is brilliant, IMO. First I would state it confounds reason how this city became a flash point. It was no more than a confidence target for IS, and a necessary backdoor to own (from syrian kurds), but I am pretty sure it was never supposed to be so drawn out. Yet IS can hardly afford what would be its real, first significant defeat. Success breads success.

A great deal of funding continues to pour into IS areas via relief supplies, etc. While it is known IS taxes these shipments and in many cases outright steals them it is also known IS is desperately trying to actually have a semblance of governance and is therefore allowing some materials to aid the people. But yes, IS benefits directly and indirectly. It is also widely known that IS was initially funded and motivated by western and GCC countries as a proxy to break Iranian hegemony. Few are aware IS has declared war on Russia, and now China. Its odd, no? But IS has not declared war on some other regional state actors. In essence, all the States the west currently has issues with IS has also moved those targets up on its list. It cannot be said IS can be contained by ignoring them and leaving them to kill each others. Whatever the impetus behind IS metoric rise IS has clearly demonstrated its intention to quickly export and consolidate gains even if the real estate is not contiguous with the Levant, Sham region.

It is my belief this drama next unfolds more fully in Iraq again. I am convinced the entire Kobani debacle is a rear guard action by IS before it extends toward the shia in Iraq, and shia in Lebanon. While the west is using IS as a proxy Iran is begining to use kurds in other regions in preparation for warring on IS. IS is aware of this, thus the rear guard action to wipe out syrian PKK. Everything you see taking place is under the heading of "Fourth Generation Warfare." As such, things are most surely not as they appear. Many players have mucked up the region so deeply now only fully thrashing the wheat will separate the chaff at this point.

[samran]

Why did it take us - America - so long to resupply the Kurds? Better late than never I guess.

Cause the US needs the Turks and the turks hate the Kurds. The U.S. was probably trying to find weapons that would work in Iraq but not in Turkey .

[Exsexyman]

Why did it take us - America - so long to resupply the Kurds? Better late than never I guess.

Cause the US needs the Turks and the turks hate the Kurds. The U.S. was probably trying to find weapons that would work in Iraq but not in Turkey .

Lots of news reports today showing ISIS seizing caches of weapons dropped by the US for the Kurds. So the US are resupplying both sides! The incompetence goes from bad to worse. Still, all good business for the Military Industrial Complex, the shareholders will be rubbing their hands with glee. Champagne and new Mercedes all round!

[Asiantravel]

Would this surprise anyone?

More Foreign Policy Incompetence – U.S. Humanitarian Aid is Going Directly to ISIS

Not only are foodstuffs, medical supplies—even clinics—going to ISIS, the distribution networks are paying ISIS ‘taxes’ and putting ISIS people on their payrolls.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/10/19/u-s-humanitarian-aid-going-to-isis.html?via=desktop&source=twitter

[Scott]

I worked in war zones and it is not uncommon for supplies to be diverted to the enemy. Often, the amount of the supplies that can be diverted is set by agreement and it is a %. When I worked with the UN, it was well known in many areas that unless supplies were given, there would be no free passage. Either a % is given or the convoys are not allowed to pass or if they do, all the goods are confiscated. No aid through means people starve.

Do you think when Humanitarian assistance goes to Korea, none of it goes to the military?