US-led coalition strikes IS positions in daylight after jihadists enter Kobanê

07.10.201410.53h

Islamist militants, YPG-YPJ fighters in street fighting in peripheral neighbourhoods · Jihadist advance continuing for three weeks despite allied airstrikes · Some 10,000 to 15.000 civilians remained in Kobanê as of yesterday

Islamic State (IS) militants yesterday entered for the first time Kobanê (Western Kurdistan), after three weeks of continued progress towards the mostly Kurdish town. IS raised its flag on an eastern neighbourhood and also on top of Mistenur hill, south of the town (see map on the left, or click on this link). YPG-YPJ Kurdish militia is now engaging in street warfare in Kobanê's suburbs in order to prevent the jihadists from getting to the city centre.

The situation is serious enough that the Kurdish Firat News Agency reported that canton of Kobanê President Anwar Moslem and co-chair of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) Asya Abdullah have taken up arms and therein went to the war front.

Kobanê is located on the Syrian-Turkish border. Journalists staying on the the Turkish side -from where they can watch the whole of the besieged town- and those having direct contact with people inside the town are this morning reporting that the US-led coalition is striking IS positions from the air in daylight. This is a new development since up till now strikes had been done at night. Reporters and analysts ask themselves if this signals a change in the US approach to the crisis, given that earlier strikes had not prevented the IS from getting closer to Kobanê.

According to analyst Mutlu Civiroglu, some 10,000 to 15,000 civilians were still staying inside the town yesterday. Reuters today reported that 2,000 people were being evacuated. The others -Kobanê hosted a population of more than 100,000 people, including usual town dwellers and displaced people from neighbouring villages- have fled to North Kurdistan (Turkey).

Thousands of Kurds staged protests last night in Kurdistan, in neighbouring states and also in several European cities. Protesters criticised perceived Western inaction as regards IS advance towards Kobanê.

(Map by @desyracuse.)

Further information:

Recent follow-up on Nationalia: Kobanê resistance reaches the limit (Oct 2nd 2014), West Kurdistan's Kobanê canton faces Islamic State tough offensive (Sep 22nd 2014)