Experts warn 'it is not end of fighting in Kobani' as IS may return to retake 'strategic' Syrian town

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ANI London
Last Updated : Feb 08 2015 | 1:00 PM IST

Almost 11 days after Kurdish forces pushed the Islamic State (IS) militants out of the strategic border town of Kobani, a Middle East expert has warned that it may be too early to celebrate victory.

Dr Natasha Underhill, a senior lecturer at Nottingham Trent University, cautioned that the win did not mark "the end of fighting in Kobani," reported The Daily Express.

She stressed on the need to be "hyper-aware" as the group is known for its fluid nature. The terror group is known for moving from one location to another quickly and reforming, re-strategising to come back again, she added.

Underhill pointed out that it had happened in Kobani before when the IS returned to retake the city after being pushed back.

While hailing the victory as the "first step" for Syrian people, Idris Nassan, a senior official in Kobani, warned that the Kurdish troops need to continue to push back the IS until it is destroyed, adding that if they remain is Syria, Iraq or other places in the world, they will attack again.

The recapture of Kobani from IS militants had been hailed as a key victory as the town, which is located on the Syria-Turkey border, became a focal point in the international campaign against the IS.

The terror outfit held the town for more than four months, displacing more than 200,000 people from the region.

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First Published: Feb 08 2015 | 12:50 PM IST

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