Kurdish fighters are about to deal a heavy blow to Islamic State (IS) gihadists in Kobanê (West Kurdistan, Syria) as YPG-YPJ militias were yesterday four streets away of completely liberating the city, which has become a symbol of resistance to Islamist conquest. Sources from Kobanê suggest that some IS fighters were yesterday fleeing as the Kurds avanced. IS commanders then decided to send minors to the frontline in a desperate attempt to prevent Kurdish victory.

Fighting continues in Kobanê's eastern end, where the IS just controls 10% of the city, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). At the time of maximum extent, Islamists occupied over 75% of Kobanê's urban area.

The YPG-YPJ are also starting to retake some villages in the vicinity of Kobanê, as is the case of Memit. The Kurdish militias have also recaptured strategic Mishtenur hill, just south of the city. The overall situation can be seen in this map by Chuck Pfarrer:

KOBANE SITUATION MAP:25 JAN 2015.1440 EDT. Tishreen School captured. #Kobane#Kobani#BijiKurdistan#Kobanebattlemappic.twitter.com/EFl3UiOXDo

— Chuck Pfarrer (@ChuckPfarrer) January 25, 2015

Kobanê is the capital of the eponymous canton, one of the three that were proclaimed in West Kurdistan at the beginning of 2014. The Islamic State launched in September a major offensive meant to capture all of the Kobanê canton. In a month's time, the Islamists had conquered all the territory except the city itself.

The Islamic State then penetrated in the urban area on 7th October. Further IS advance seemed to indicate unavoidable victory for them. But Kurdish resistance along with more than 400 airstrikes by the US-led coalition against IS positions signaled a major shift in the battle. It has now been clear for weeks that momentum was with YPG-YPJ, while IS fighting power was being reduced.

YPJ (Kurdish female defense units) and YPG (male and female units) have also been helped by South Kurdistan government (Iraq) soldiers -the Peshmerga - and by anti-Assad Syrian rebels, mostly members of Kurdish group Jabhat al-Akrad.

At least 1,607 people have died in the Battle of Kobanê since September, according to data released ten days ago by SOHR. Of these, 1,091 are IS fighters, 462 Kurdish militiamen and militiawomen, 21 Syrian rebels, one Peshmerga and 32 civilians, most of them murdered by jihadists. SOHR believes that the number of victims among the IS is much higher, but they cannot be assessed.

The battle of Kobanê has also forced some 300,000 inhabitants of the Kobanê canton to flee, mostly to North Kurdistan (Turkey). Many areas in the city have been destroyed.

(Image: large Kurdish flag unfurled by YPG-YPJ / Picture by KurdisCat.)