ISIS, Kurdish forces battle near strategic town of Kobani on Syria-Turkey border

[flamingdem]

Source: CNN

(CNN) -- Fighting intensified Sunday as ISIS continued its siege of the strategic town of Kobani on the Syrian-Turkish border.

Some of the harshest fighting between ISIS and the Kurdish People's Protection Unit, or YPG, took place on and around Meshta Nour, the hill overlooking Kobani, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
"Groups of mercenaries have intensified attacks on the hill Meshta Nour southeast of the city of Kobani for the last two days," YPG said in a statement.

The YPG said 86 "terrorists" were killed during a 24-hour period and 17 YPG members died.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2014/10/05/world/meast/isis-kobani/index.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_latest+(RSS%3A+Most+Recent)

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CNN just had footage of Kobani residents trying to escape the onslaught of Isis with the Turkish army repeatedly tear gassing them.

[TwilightGardener]

1. Thanks, Turkey! They appear to dislike the Kurds more than ISIS.

There has to be some sort of pressure we can apply on the Turkish government to make them step up.

[flamingdem]

2. I looked further, turns out the Turkish Police set a BBC van on fire w tear gas

So it might be the Isis sympathizers (or Kurd haters more likely) in the police force causing trouble.

Here is BBC journalist's twitter:
https://twitter.com/BBCPaulAdams

http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2014-10-05/turkish-police-set-fire-to-bbc-vehicle-with-tear-gas-canisters

Turkish police set fire to BBC vehicle with tear gas canisters

The police fired two canisters into the van “at point blank range” according to BBC World Affairs
A BBC News team was forced to abandon its vehicle after it was reportedly set on fire by tear gas canisters shot directly into it by Turkish police.

BBC World Affairs Correspondent Paul Adams says he and his colleagues were attempting to leave an area on the Turkey-Syria border, where Kurds and Syrian refugees have been clashing with Turkish security forces, when the incident took place.
He confirmed that neither he nor any of the members of his BBC team had been injured by the attack.

“Turkish troops just fired 2 tear has canisters into our vehicle at point blank range, while we were driving away,” said Adams on Twitter on Sunday afternoon.

“Everyone ok. But the vehicle was briefly on fire. Some damage. Authorities determined to force everyone away from border.”

Adams later clarified that the canisters had been launched by Turkish police rather than army troops.

[flamingdem]

3. Kurdish female fighter in suicide attack

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/11142226/Kurdish-female-fighter-in-suicide-attack-on-Isil-amid-fighting-for-key-Syria-town.html

Kurdish female fighter in suicide attack on Isil amid fighting for key Syria town

A female Kurdish fighter carried out a suicide bomb attack against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) jihadists outside a key Syrian town on Sunday night, a monitoring group said.
The woman, named on social media as Arin Mirkan, reportedly blew herself up at an Isil position east of the border town of Kobane, killing a number of jihadists who have surrounded and are battling to seize it.

It was the first reported instance of a female Kurdish fighter carrying out a suicide bombing against Isil, which has itself often favoured the tactic, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The attack came as Kurdish fighters backed by US-led air strikes battled Isil jihadists for control of the town on the Turkish border on Sunday.

Isil fighters had seized part of the strategic Mishtenur hill overlooking the town of Kobane late on Saturday, a monitor said, but their progress was slowed by new strikes from the coalition of Washington and Arab allies

[Kaleva]

4. No virgins for those ISIL fighters