IS Militants Push Kurds Towards Turkey Border

Written By Unknown on Minggu, 12 Oktober 2014 | 00.57

Kurdish fighters are struggling to hold on in Kobani as Islamic State militants released footage of themselves fighting in the streets of the Syrian town.

The footage, which could not be verified, showed masked men walking through deserted streets firing machine guns and rocket launchers at unseen targets.

Sky's Middle East correspondent Sherine Tadros, reporting from the Turkey-Syria border, said: "(IS fighters) have been pushing in and pushing back the militias back right to the border with Turkey

"That is where we understand the militias are holding their frontline.

"We can the sound of heavy machine gun fire. It has been near constant for the last few hours.

Video: Calls For Ground Forces In Kobani

"I think it is too early to say the militants are in full control of Kobani but certainly the next few hours seem decisive."

On Friday, the militants overran the Kurdish administrative headquarters in the border town.

Most residents of the predominantly Kurdish town have fled since the IS assault on Kobani began in mid-September, but the UN has warned more than 500 people still trapped there could be massacred.

UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said: "When there is an imminent threat to civilians, we cannot, we should not be silent."

Video: Sam Kiley On The Battle For Kobani

More than 200,000 people are believed to have fled over the border to Turkey but thousands of others are said to be unable to cross.

A senior Kurdish official, Ismet Sheikh Hasan, said the latest fighting was focused in the southern and eastern parts of the town.

"We are defending but ... we have only simple weapons and they  have heavy weapons," he told AP in a telephone call.

"They are not besieged and can move easily."

Video: IS Footage Shows Kobani Onslaught

Mr Hasan appealed for international help but added that the US airstrikes that have taken place over the last two weeks have ben largely ineffectual.

On Friday, fighters from the Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish militias told Sky News that they were outgunned by IS.

"We have RPGs, machine guns, light weapons like Kalishnikovs ... and that's what we're using against IS who have tanks, cannons, heavy weapons," Abu El Majed said.

In neighbouring Iraq, US officials have warned that government forces in western Anbar province are in a "tenuous" position in their battle with IS.

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  1. Gallery: IS Attacks Town Near Turkish Border

    Turkish army tanks take up position on the Turkish-Syrian border near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa Province

  2. Kurdish fighters vowed not to abandon their increasingly desperate efforts to defend the Syrian border town of Kobani from Islamic State militants pressing in from three sides and pounding them with heavy artillery

  3. Despite the heavy fighting, which has seen mortars rain down on residential areas in Kobani and stray fire hit Turkish territory, a Reuters reporter saw around 30 people cross over from Turkey, apparently to help with defence of the town

  4. An IS fighter walks near a black flag belonging to the Islamic State near Kobani

  5. Kurdish refugees from Kobani sit in front of their tents in a camp in the southeastern town of Suruc

  6. Islamic State is trying to seize Kobani, which is predominantly Kurdish, and has ramped up its offensive in recent days despite being targeted by US-led coalition airstrikes aimed at halting its progress

  7. Turkish Kurds look at Kobani as they stand on top of a house near Mursitpinar border crossing. Continue through for more pictures

Concerns about the situation in the west are in stark contrast to reports from the north where Kurdish fighters are reportedly making headway.

Meanwhile, a cameraman for an Iraqi television station was executed by IS in Tikrit. 


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