Islamic State 'being driven out of Syria's Kobane'

The Islamic State (IS) militant group has been driven out of most of the northern Syrian town of Kobane, a Kurdish commander has told the BBC.
Baharin Kandal said IS fighters had retreated from all areas, except for two pockets of resistance in the east.
US-led air strikes have helped push back the militants, with another 14 conducted over the past 24 hours.
Meanwhile, the new UN human rights commissioner has called IS a "potentially genocidal" movement. Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein described the group as the antithesis of human rights.

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Good news if true. Although I criticize Obama I still hope his plan works for the sake of the people on the ground facing the ISISL menace.

I still think a UN force of at least 100, 000 crack troops from many countries should do this job.

Speaking by phone, Kurdish commander Baharin Kandal told the BBC's Kasra Naji that she hoped the city would be "liberated soon". Ms Kandal said her militia group had been receiving arms, supplies and fighters but she refused to say how, reports our correspondent, who is on the Turkish border near Kobane.

Kurdish defenders have victory in their sights. After exactly a month of fighting, they say they have driven Islamic State from most of the city. But from a hilltop across the border in Turkey, it is clear there is still fighting going on, particularly in the north of the city. Small and heavy arms fire can be heard, as well as occasional explosions. There have also been several air strikes this afternoon by the US-led coalition. One 32-year-old Kurdish militia commander, who leads the fighting in the east of the city, told me she hoped the city would be "fully liberated" very soon. Her comments reflect an air of optimism here in Turkey among the Kobane refugees who are hoping to go back to their town in the next few days.

Major test

The battle for Kobane, which is also known as Ayn al-Arab, is regarded as a major test of whether the US-led coalition's air campaign can push back IS. US Central Command said that bomber and fighter aircraft had conducted 14 air strikes on Wednesday and Thursday, all of them targeting IS around Kobane. The strikes "successfully struck 19 IS buildings, two IS command posts, three IS fighting positions, three IS sniper positions, one IS staging location and one IS heavy machine gun", a statement said. It said the air strikes had "continued to slow IS advances, but that the security situation on the ground in Kobane remains tenuous".

Too much international pressure on Turkey and the US may have helped.

Though the courageous Kurds again save the day by putting up a valiant fight against the ISIl savages.

The Iraqis need to take their example.

A Kurdish official in Kobane, Idris Nassen, confirmed to Agence France-Presse that IS had pulled back from some areas and that "the international coalition has fought IS more effectively during the last few days". But he warned: "We need more air strikes, as well as weaponry and ammunition to fight them on the ground." Meanwhile, Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein, the new UN human rights commissioner, described IS as the antithesis of human rights and "a diabolical, potentially genocidal movement".

originally posted by: Willtell

Though the courageous Kurds again save the day by putting up a valiant fight against the ISIl savages.

So true.

One NATO member helping them *US bombing ISIS* while another NATO member *Turkey bombs the Kurds*

a reply to: Willtell

NATO should have been on the ground a year ago...

This would be over if they had!

originally posted by: SLAYER69

originally posted by: Willtell

Though the courageous Kurds again save the day by putting up a valiant fight against the ISIl savages.

So true.

One NATO member helping them *US bombing ISIS* while another NATO member *Turkey bombs the Kurds*

Loyalties change faster than underware.

I hope they make a mass retreat on open roads.

Should make for some fun gun camera footage.

There should be no prisoners taken from this war.

I hope they kill every single one. I also hope they get it on camera.

If Obama’s plan becomes feasible it may be because this vaunted ISIL is a paper tiger. They have only defeated very weak opponents.

When good fighters, like Hezbollah, faced them they have wilted and now hopefully the Kurds, though having small arms have taken advantage of the air strikes enough to have a victory.

Obama’s rap about this will take time is obviously the case. They( the hidden creators of this disaster may want to have time to see how they can take advantage of the situation and still see if they can attack Syria as this crises draws on and on...indeed the longer this goes on the more opportunities they’ll have to cause mischief and somehow ruin Syria further and make it more like Libya

I hope they dont kill the british ones it would be nice to see them tortured and to find out which of them are british agents. Then we can have that caMoron in the dock along with any other traitors in our govt. With a bit of luck we can also get that twat tony bliar in the dock along side him. Maybe they can be tried in an Arab country then as they are christians I like the idea of crucifixion first before they chop their heads off.

About dam time now they should be hunted to the ends of the Earth and totally and utterly annihilated. No mercy or any attempt to bargain with them just wipe them out and be done with them.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: Willtell

NATO should have been on the ground a year ago...

This would be over if they had!

You do know that the reason ISIS has provoked the US and UK ect with beheading is because they want NATO troops on the ground. It would be the best recruiting tool they could ever hope for and half the people fighting ISIS would change sides. So you would have decades of NATO troops being killed by IEDs, snipers and suicide bombers and accomplishing nothing. Thier is no military solution that involves the West that will ever fix this region.

Well we could turn it into a glass parking lot for oil rigs.............