BEIRUT (AP) — Kurdish forces continue to battle Islamic State group fighters for control of a Syrian town near the Turkish border.
Yesterday, the Kurdish force known as the People’s Protection Units, or YPK, repelled a wide-ranging jihadist assault. However, a black banner with Arabic writing can be seen today flying over a building at the eastern entrance to Kobani, indicating that the jihadists may have regrouped and broken through the Kurdish lines.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a statement from the YPK says yesterday’s battles near the town killed more than 45 fighters on both sides, including a female Kurdish fighter who blew herself up, killing several jihadists.
Kobani and surrounding areas have been under attack since mid-September, with Islamic State militants capturing dozens of nearby Kurdish villages. The assault has forced some 160,000 Syrians to flee.
On the Turkish side of the border, at least 14 Turkish army tanks have taken up defensive positions on a hilltop near Kobani.
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APPHOTO AXLP119: In this image shot with an extreme telephoto lens and through haze from the outskirts of Suruc at the Turkey-Syria border, Turkish forces armoured vehicles patrol the border as a black banner with white writing is seen atop of a building at the eastern side of the town of Kobani, Syria, where fighting had ben intensified between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State, Monday, Oct. 6, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab and its surrounding areas have been under attack since mid-September, with militants capturing dozens of nearby Kurdish villages. The flag is indicating that the jihadists may have regrouped and broken through the Kurdish lines.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (6 Oct 2014)
< APPHOTO AXLP217: In this image shot with an extreme telephoto lens and through haze from the outskirts of Suruc at the Turkey-Syria border, a man is seen placing a black banner with white writing over a hilltop at the eastern side of the town of Kobani, Syria, where fighting had ben intensified between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State, Monday, Oct. 6, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab and its surrounding areas have been under attack since mid-September, with militants capturing dozens of nearby Kurdish villages. The flag is indicating that the jihadists may have regrouped and broken through the Kurdish lines.(AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (6 Oct 2014) < APPHOTO AXLP115: Turkish tanks hold their positions on a hilltop in the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, overlooking Kobani in Syria where fighting has intensified between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State, Monday, Oct. 6, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab and its surrounding areas have been under attack since mid-September, with militants capturing dozens of nearby Kurdish villages. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (6 Oct 2014) < Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.