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Islamic State 'retreating' in key Syria town of Kobane Islamic State 'retreating' in key Syria town of Kobane
(about 14 hours later)
Islamic State militants are retreating in parts of the strategic Syrian town of Kobane, a Kurdish official has said. Islamic State militants are retreating in parts of the northern Syrian town of Kobane in the face of US-led air strikes, a Kurdish official has said.
Idriss Nassan told the BBC IS had lost control of more than 20% of the town in recent days. Idriss Nassan told the BBC IS had lost control of more than 20% of the town on the border with Turkey in recent days.
US defence officials say hundreds of militants have been killed around Kobane as US-led air strikes intensify. Activists say more than 600 people have been killed since the jihadist group launched its assault a month ago.
The news came as US President Barack Obama and European leaders agreed on the need to do more to stop the IS advance in Iraq and Syria. On Wednesday, US and European leaders agreed on the need to do more to stop the advance of IS in Iraq and Syria.
In a video conference, Mr Obama and the leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Italy agreed to step up support for an "inclusive political approach" in Iraq and training for local forces in Iraq and Syria, a statement by UK Prime Minister David Cameron's office said. In a video conference, US President Barack Obama and the leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Italy said they would step up support for an "inclusive political approach" in Iraq and training for local forces.
'Cleaning operations''Cleaning operations'
Mr Nassan said Kurdish YPG forces in Kobane were making progress against IS. Mr Nassan, deputy head of Kobane's foreign relations committee, said the Kurdish the Popular Protection Units (YPG) had made progress against IS in the town since the US-led air strikes were stepped up.
"Maybe in the few past days [Islamic State] was controlling about 40% of the city of Kobane, but now... less than 20% of the city is under control of [IS]...," he said. "Maybe in the few past days [Islamic State] was controlling about 40% of the city of Kobane, but now... less than 20% of the city is under control of [IS]," he said. "[On Wednesday], YPG started cleaning [up]operations in the east and south-east of Kobane."
"Today YPG started cleaning operations in the east and south-east of Kobane." A journalist in Kobane, Abdulrahman Gok, told the Reuters news agency on Thursday: "We walked past some (YPG) positions in the east yesterday that were held by IS only two days ago."
US defence department spokesman John Kirby said "several hundred" militants had been killed in and around the besieged town, though "it could very well still fall" to IS. "Officials here say the air strikes are sufficient but ground action is needed to wipe out IS. YPG is perfectly capable of doing that but more weapons are needed," he added.
"ISIL has made no secret of the fact that they want that town... and so they have continued to flow fighters to Kobane," he added. Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said the situation was fluid, with pockets in the town still held by IS.
John Allen, US special envoy in the fight against IS, said the strikes were designed to relieve the defenders. Kobane was still in danger of falling because increasing numbers of jihadists were joining the battle, he warned.
"There was a need for additional fire support to go in to try to relieve the defenders and to buy some white space, ultimately, for the reorganisation on the ground," he said. "The more they want it, the more resources they apply to it, the more targets we have to hit," he added. "We know we've killed several hundred of them."
US-led forces carried out 18 air strikes on IS targets near the town on Tuesday and Wednesday, US Central Command said in a statement. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based activist group, reported that 662 people had been killed since IS launched its offensive on Kobane on 16 September. They included 374 jihadists, 268 fighting on the Kurdish side, and 20 civilians, it said.
Combat positions were destroyed and 16 buildings hit in the strikes. Kurdish fighters have been under siege in Kobane, near the Turkish border, for almost a month. The strikes on Kobane began on 1 October, according to US Central Command, which said on Wednesday that it had carried out 18 in the previous 24 hours, and 21 in the 24 hours before that.
The coalition has stepped up strikes in the region in recent days, in an effort to prevent IS from capturing the strategically important town. The BBC's Kasra Naji, on the Turkish border near Kobane, says there is an air of optimism among the Kurdish fighters, and a belief that they could drive IS out of the town in a few days.
The BBC's Kasra Naji, on the border near Kobane, says there is an air of optimism among the Kurdish militia, and a belief that they could drive IS out of the town in a few days. Our correspondent says coalition aircraft now appeared to be targeting a single location, suggesting that this is probably the last area in the town held by IS after its strength was degraded by heavy strikes on Tuesday.
Our correspondent says coalition aircraft now appeared to be targeting a single location, suggesting that this is probably the last neighbourhood in the town held by IS after its strength was degraded by heavy strikes on Tuesday.
The battle for Kobane is regarded as a major test of whether the coalition's air campaign can push back IS in Syria.
More than 160,000 people have fled the predominantly Kurdish town in the face of the IS advance.
'Inherent Resolve''Inherent Resolve'
The battle for Kobane, which is also known as Ayn al-Arab, is regarded as a major test of whether the coalition's air campaign can push back IS.
More than 160,000 people have fled the mainly Kurdish town in the face of the IS advance. Adm Kirby said hundreds of civilians were still there.
Five more strikes were carried out against IS militants in Iraq - four near Baiji and one near Haditha Dam, US Central Command said.Five more strikes were carried out against IS militants in Iraq - four near Baiji and one near Haditha Dam, US Central Command said.
Meanwhile the jihadists are said to be advancing on the Iraqi town of Amariya al-Falluja, one of the last still controlled by government forces in Anbar province and only 40km (25 miles) from the capital Baghdad.Meanwhile the jihadists are said to be advancing on the Iraqi town of Amariya al-Falluja, one of the last still controlled by government forces in Anbar province and only 40km (25 miles) from the capital Baghdad.
As the fighting and air strikes continued, the US military announced that it had named the operation against IS "Inherent Resolve".As the fighting and air strikes continued, the US military announced that it had named the operation against IS "Inherent Resolve".
Mr Obama told a meeting of senior military commanders from more than 20 Western and Arab countries at Andrews Air Force Base near Washington on Tuesday that air strikes would continue in both Kobane and Anbar province.
Mr Obama warned that they were facing a "long-term campaign".