IS retreats from Syrian Kurdish city

Beirut, Oct 15 (IANS/EFE) The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group began to pull back Wednesday from the eastern part of he Syrian Kurdish city of Kobane, after Kurdish forces turned back attacks by the jihadis and advanced on their positions, the Syrian Observatory Human Rights (SOHR)reported.

Forces of the Kurdish Protection Units advanced further into the Kani district in the eastern sector of the city strategically located on Syria's border with Turkey that has been under siege by the Islamic radicals since Sep 16.

SOHR reported that Kurdish units had regained control of several municipal zones following clashes at the Hal marketplace and at a former government security complex that was captured by the insurgents last week

According to SOHR, the IS has occupied almost half of the city, but Kurdish authorities say that jihadis control less than 30 percent of its territory.

Meanwhile, warplanes of the US-led international coalition flew sorties over the besieged Kurdish city Wednesday morning, but did not carry out any airstrikes or bomb attacks against IS positions on the ground.

Kobane is one of the three main Kurdish enclaves in Syria and has been the target of attacks by the IS since September. Wednesday's fighting came after US President Barack Obama said that he was "deeply concerned" about the IS threat to Kobane.

The Obama administration has signalled in recent weeks that it did not prioritise preventing IS control of Kobane although US military forces carry out daily attacks aimed at helping Kurdish forces maintain control over the town.

--IANS/EFE

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