IS Jihadists Close in on Syria Kurd Town

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

Jihadists from the Islamic State group using heavy weapons have seized a string of villages around Ain al-Arab as they close in on Syria's third largest Kurdish town, a monitor said Thursday.

"In the past 24 hours, IS fighters have launched a huge offensive and seized at least 16 villages to the east and west of Kobane," said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman, using the Kurdish name for Ain al-Arab.

"The IS is using heavy weaponry, its artillery and tanks," he said, adding that thousands of Kurdish fighters defending the town on the Turkish border were being encircled in a "pincer movement".

Kobane is Syria's third largest Kurdish town after Qamishli and Afrine. Its capture would allow the jihadists to control a long stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border.

Abdel Rahman said the latest IS offensive was larger than an assault in July that was repelled by the Kurds backed by hundreds of fellow Kurdish fighters who crossed from Turkey as reinforcements.

In the thick of Syria's anti-regime uprising, the Kurds have established a semi-autonomous status in the Kurdish-inhabited regions of the country's northeast, clashing repeatedly with the IS to defend their territory since the jihadists made their entry into the conflict in the spring of 2013.

Comments 14
Thumb megahabib 18 September 2014, 15:14

They are truly a scourge.

Default-user-icon ultra-mega-habib (Guest) 18 September 2014, 15:29

well said megahabib

Thumb bill.thebutcher 18 September 2014, 15:22

The Kurds have been doing a pretty good job defending against these rats...
sometimes even better than the SAA.

Default-user-icon mahdi Rostam Firdaus (Guest) 18 September 2014, 15:30

My boss at work came into my office and asked me to read your latest comment. He was right, you're something another flamethrower!

Default-user-icon officially illiterate (Guest) 18 September 2014, 15:34

he will never get it Southern! No Wonder

Thumb bill.thebutcher 18 September 2014, 15:39

texi

"your dear Iraqi Army" ?? hahaha...
Let me be clear since things need to be explained more than once to you seeing as your crack-cocaine addiction has fried your brain...
I dont care about the Iraqi army the same way I dont care about you :)

Its simple I care about Lebanon (my country) and you care about your country/employer/Master/God..the Saud family

Default-user-icon lebpatriot0007 (Guest) 18 September 2014, 15:41

you are so funny bill

Thumb ice-man 18 September 2014, 17:14

@bill: are you a secular Yazidi?

Thumb liberty 19 September 2014, 06:33

bill is a tough guy with many fake accounts

Thumb bill.thebutcher 18 September 2014, 17:26

@ice: do you propose to your husband on both knees??

Thumb megahabib 18 September 2014, 18:24

Assad is attacking Daash everyday. Quit lying.

Thumb megahabib 18 September 2014, 20:16

Remember when Daash and Nusra joinlty attacked Lattakia? They've been fighting since then. But I guess you only follow Qatari news.

Thumb liberty 19 September 2014, 06:32

he was ultra now he is mega?! Talk about a complex man...!

Missing helicopter 19 September 2014, 04:31

southern,
Could it be that the coherent ray of light (texas lines) are diffused when they hit the prism (your brain). Only theory that could explain why perfectly coherent ideas seem incoherent to you.