The militant forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) took control of the city of Kobani in Syria. The ISIS militants raised their black flag in the eastern part of Kobani, according to report from Reuters.
The report indicated that the black flag of the ISIS militant was raised atop a building, and it is visible across the Turkish border. Kurdish forces have been fighting the terrorist group for control of Kobani, according to a Kurdish military officer.
ISIS haven’t reached the Kobani’s center
Kurdish forces said the ISIS militants haven’t reached the center of Kobani as they prevented the advances of the terrorist group.
Ismail Eskin, a journalist inside Kobani, said, “”ISIL have only planted a flag on one building. That is not inside the city; it’s on the eastern side. They are not inside the city. Intense clashes are continuing. The bodies of 25 (Islamic State) fighters are there.”
Separately, Ayman Mohyeldin of NBCNews confirmed that the ISIS militants captured the eastern part of Kobani, but not the entire border town. According to him, “This is a very symbolic development and a strategic one because it’s right up on the Turkish border, so it sends an important message.”
Mohyeldin added that the latest development shows that the ISIS militants remained capable of taking control of lands. He said it was a “sign that perhaps ISIS has not been degraded as much as we’ve been told by some of the coalition countries involved in this air fight.”
Kurdish pleas for more military help
According to Reuters, the residential areas of Kobani have been bombarded by mortars. The Kurdish forces have been seeking more effective military help.
Matthew VanDyke, a documentary filmmaker who has been on the ground in Syria commented on NBCNews that he was “really shocked at how limited the campaign has been and that Kobani was allowed to fall.” He added, “It’s just astonishing that the administration hasn’t stepped up its campaign by now.”
Turkey approved military action against ISIS
Last week, the Parliament of Turkey approved a military action against ISIS, which complicated the efforts of Turkey President Tayyip Erdogan to remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from his position. Bashar’s regime is also fighting ISIS militants.
Turkey is among the nations who joined the United States-led coalition to fight ISIS. It is the first country to deploy fighters on the ground and provides strategic base locations for the implementation of a no-fly zone.
