IS tries to recover areas lost in Syrian enclave

Beirut, Jan 6 (IANS/EFE) Fighters belonging to the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group attacked the Syrian Kurdish enclave of Kobani, near the Turkish border, Tuesday in an attempt to regain control of the areas lost to Kurdish forces in recent days.

"The situation is very critical. IS has launched an offensive on various fronts and is trying to advance into the town," Syrian activist Mustafa Bali told Efe news agency over the phone from Kobani.

The extremists have deployed four tanks in the western sector of Kobani and several tanks to the eastern side, according to Bali, who noted that the IS offensive was still going on.

The most intense clashes occurred between IS fighters and Kurdish People's Protection Units forces in the vicinity of the Rash library, in eastern Kobani, where a major gun battle took place.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that a loud explosion was heard Tuesday, although the NGO was unable to determine its origin.

Meanwhile, aircraft belonging to the US-led international coalition continued bombing Islamic State targets, according to Bali.

Kobani, one of the three main Kurdish enclaves in Syria, has been the epicentre of fighting between Kurds and the jihadi IS movement since Sep 16.

--IANS/EFE

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