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| US-led air strikes hit suspected Isis targets near Kobani | US-led air strikes hit suspected Isis targets near Kobani |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US-led coalition jets have struck suspected Islamic State (Isis) targets at least twice in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani, after fierce shelling by the insurgents hit the town centre. | US-led coalition jets have struck suspected Islamic State (Isis) targets at least twice in the besieged Syrian town of Kobani, after fierce shelling by the insurgents hit the town centre. |
| Shelling continued after the strikes on Saturday, according to witnesses. | Shelling continued after the strikes on Saturday, according to witnesses. |
| Also on Saturday, a group monitoring the violence said recent US-led strikes had killed 10 civilians. Washington said there was no evidence to back up the report. | |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said seven civilians were killed when an air strike hit a gas plant near the town of al-Khasham is the eastern Deir al-Zor province on Friday, and three civilians were killed in an air strike on Thursday night in the north east province of al-Hassakah. | |
| Reuters could not independently confirm the reports due to security restrictions. | |
| “We have seen no evidence at this time to corroborate claims of civilian casualties. I can assure you that before any mission, every precaution is taken to ensure civilians are not harmed,” US Central Command spokesman Colonel Patrick Ryder said. | |
| “Regardless, we take reports of civilian casualties or damage to civilian facilities seriously and we have a process to investigate each allegation.” | |
| The coalition, which has been bombing Isis targets in Iraq since August, extended the campaign to Syria in September. Close to 200,000 people have been killed in Syria’s three-year civil war, according to the United Nations. | |
| Isis militants have been battling Kurdish fighters for a month to take control of Kobani, a town near the Turkish border, but stepped-up coalition air strikes have helped Kurds fend off the advance. | |
| On Friday, General Lloyd Austin, the commanding officer of US Central Command, told reporters: “Iraq is our main effort, and it has to be, and the things that we’re doing right now in Syria are being done primarily to shape the conditions in Iraq.” | On Friday, General Lloyd Austin, the commanding officer of US Central Command, told reporters: “Iraq is our main effort, and it has to be, and the things that we’re doing right now in Syria are being done primarily to shape the conditions in Iraq.” |
| German police have arrested two men suspected of supporting Isis and raided properties across the country of another 13 suspected supporters of militant Islamist groups, prosecutors said on Saturday. | German police have arrested two men suspected of supporting Isis and raided properties across the country of another 13 suspected supporters of militant Islamist groups, prosecutors said on Saturday. |
| The two men were arrested in the western city of Aachen and identified as a 38-year-old Tunisian, Kamel Ben Yahia S, and a 28-year-old Russian, Yusup G, federal prosecutors said in a statement. | The two men were arrested in the western city of Aachen and identified as a 38-year-old Tunisian, Kamel Ben Yahia S, and a 28-year-old Russian, Yusup G, federal prosecutors said in a statement. |
| The Tunisian is suspected of providing clothing worth over €1,100 ($1,400) and €3,400 in cash to Isis since July 2013 and of smuggling a 17-year-old boy from Germany to Syria via Turkey to join the group. The Russian is accused of helping the smuggling and of being a member of a foreign terrorist organisation. | The Tunisian is suspected of providing clothing worth over €1,100 ($1,400) and €3,400 in cash to Isis since July 2013 and of smuggling a 17-year-old boy from Germany to Syria via Turkey to join the group. The Russian is accused of helping the smuggling and of being a member of a foreign terrorist organisation. |
| Authorities believe the other suspects supported either Isis or Ahrar al-Sham, another Syrian Islamist group, by providing thousands of boots and other military clothing. | Authorities believe the other suspects supported either Isis or Ahrar al-Sham, another Syrian Islamist group, by providing thousands of boots and other military clothing. |