ISIS move in on northern Syria border town of Kobane a day after Turkey's prime minister vowed to do everything possible to save it from Islamists

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ISIS move in on northern Syria border town of Kobane a day after Turkey's prime minister vowed to do everything possible to save it from Islamists

• Kurdish fighters locked in fierce battle with Isis militants
• Militants reported a few kilometres from strategically important town
• Explosions and smoke seen as buildings are hit by mortar and shell fire
• Some 160,000 have fled town since Isis began its advance on September 16
• Turkey massing troops, tanks and armoured vehicles on the border
• Britain sends one of its most advanced warships to Gulf
• HMS Defender will U.S. aircraft carrier in fight against militants

Isis militants are locked in a fierce battle with Kurdish fighters for the northern Syrian town of Kobane just a day after the Turkish Prime Minister vowed to do everything possible to keep it from falling into the hands of the Islamists.
This morning, Isis were reportedly just a few kilometres away from the strategically important town with witnesses reporting smoke rising from buildings as the town came under shell and mortar fire.
Turkey now appears poised to be drawn into the ground conflict with armoured personnel carriers, tanks and armoured vehicles deployed near the Syrian-Turkish border.

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[superbeets]

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Key town: Smoke rises from the strategically-important Syrian town of Kobane, which has come under shell and mortar fire from Isis militants

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Under fire: Smoke rises from buildings in Syria's Kobane city on the Turkish-Syrian border, where fierce fighting has been reported between Isis militants and Kurdish fighters

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Proximity: A photograph taken from the inside Turkey shows smoke shows an Isis shell hitting a building in Kobane where militants were reported just a few kilometres from the city


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Yesterday the Turkish parliament authorised military operations against militants in Iraq and Syria who threaten domestic security.

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Prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said: 'We wouldn't want Kobane to fall. We'll do whatever we can to prevent this from happening.
'No other country has the capacity to affect the developments in Syria and Iraq. No other country will be affected like us either.'
Isis launched an offensive to capture Kobane On September 15 and have advanced steadily despite U.S.-led air strikes.

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Face off: Turkish soldiers stand on a hill, opposite Isis fighters new positions 10 kilometres west of the Syrian city of Kobane

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Turkey now appears poised to be drawn into the ground conflict with armoured personnel carriers, tanks and armoured vehicles deployed near the Syrian-Turkish border.

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Blasts: Smoke billows from buildings in the strategically-important border town of Kobane which has come under shell and mortar fire from Isis terrorists



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Kurdish positions on a hill overlooking the town were hit by Isis shells on Friday morning. Heavy fighting was reported to the east and south-east of the town.
Kurdish fighters had destroyed two Isis vehicles, according to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group.
Over 160,000 mainly Kurdish Syrians have fled Kobane as Isis began its advance.
Nawaf Khalil, a spokesman for Syria's leading Kurdish Democratic Union Party, criticised the Turkish Prime Minister for not supporting the fight against Isis.
He said: 'How does he want to prevent the fall of Kobani and until now Turkey has done nothing.'

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Turkish tanks stationed close to the border line with Syria. Yesterday Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu said they would do whatever they could to stop the town falling into rebel hands

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Kurdish positions on a hill overlooking the town were hit by Isis shells on Friday morning. Heavy fighting was reported to the east and south-east of the town.

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Isis launched an offensive to capture Kobane On September 15 and have advanced steadily despite U.S.-led air strikes

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Mr Khalil added that Kobani is now almost empty of civilians and that the situation around the town is 'very dangerous'. He said Kurdish fighters in the town 'will fight until the last gunman and last gunwoman'.
The Observatory reported intense shelling of Kobani, saying that a volunteer fighting with the Kurdish force known as the People's Protection Unit, or YPK, was killed. It said at least 60 shells had struck the town today.
A journalist at the Turkish border town of Suruc reported intense shelling of Kobani from the south and west.
Ismet Sheikh Hassan, the Kurdish defence minister for the Kobani region, said IS fighters were trying to advance from the east, west and south east of Kobani.
He said jihadis fired rockets on the town, and called on the US-led coalition 'to hit the tanks instead of bases'.

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Over 160,000 mainly Kurdish Syrians have been forced to flee Kobane after Isis began its advance on September 16

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Syrian Kurdish refugees arriving by truck at a Turkish refugee camp after fleeing the city of Kobane

Today one of the Royal Navy's most advanced warships took up position to support US forces as they carry out air strikes against Islamic State militants.
HMS Defender is using its hi-tech air defence weapons to protect US navy aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush and her aircraft as they launch air strikes as part of the international coalition.
The Portsmouth-based Type-45 destroyer is using its air defence radar and Sea Viper missile system as part of an 'umbrella' of support for the Nimitz class aircraft carrier and its escort ships while they patrol the Gulf and launch air strikes against the terrorist group IS.
Deployed to the Gulf in June 2014, HMS Defender's primary role has been to conduct maritime security operations.
It is now operating with the US navy's Arleigh-Burke class destroyers USS Truxton and USS Roosevelt and the Ticonderoga class destroyer USS Philippine Sea to provide support for the aircraft carrier.
Engaged in round-the-clock operations, HMS Defender's task is to build an accurate air surveillance picture over the whole of the Gulf in order to guard the US aircraft carrier against possible air attack.





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HMS Defender, one of the Royal Navy's most advanced warships took up position to support US forces as they carry out air strikes against Islamic State militants

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HMS Defender, right, will provide vital support to a US Navy carrier task group in the Gulf, using her air defence weapon systems to protect the US Navy aircraft carrier, USS George H W Bush and her aircraft

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HMS Defender is seen in the background as a American jet takes off from the US Navy aircraft carrier, USS George H W Bush



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Royal Navy Commander Phil Nash, Defender's commanding officer, said: 'As an air defence destroyer, HMS Defender was built for exactly the sort of tasking that we are conducting in support of the USS George HW Bush.
'Since we arrived in the Gulf in June, we have been engaged in exercises with navies from around the world to test our air defence capabilities and I am delighted that my ship's company now have an opportunity to put into practice the training they have received over the past few months.
'This will be our primary role in the future, so to be able to provide the same defensive shield to a US navy aircraft carrier that we will deliver as part of a British carrier strike group is an excellent chance to prove the value we can add in a national and international environment.'
Commodore Keith Blount, the United Kingdom Maritime Component Commander based in Bahrain, said: 'HMS Defender is just one of several Royal Navy ships deployed to the Gulf, which demonstrates the importance of the region to the United Kingdom and how much we value the relationships we have with our regional partners and allies.
'The decision by the Government to task a Royal Navy destroyer to support operations against Isil (IS) also shows the United Kingdom's commitment to combat terrorism.
'The ship's company of HMS Defender can be proud that, in whatever they are doing on board, they are actively contributing to the security of the region and the interests of the United Kingdom.'
The UK has also committed Royal Air Force fighter bombers to carry out reconnaissance missions and air strikes in Iraq.


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[GasMan]

This may well be a huge mistake by ISIS. The Kurds are like the Jews..they fight till the death and they fight for a cause. If Turkey gets involved this battle is all over.