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| Iraqi Kurdish fighters to fly to Turkey before crossing into Kobani | Iraqi Kurdish fighters to fly to Turkey before crossing into Kobani |
| (43 minutes later) | |
| Dozens of Iraqi Kurdish fighters are to fly to Turkey and from there cross into the Syrian border town of Kobani to help fellow Kurds fight Islamic State (Isis) militants, a spokesman for the Kurdish force has said. | |
| Halgurd Hekmat said the peshmerga fighters will leave the city of Irbil, in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, later on Tuesday. He gave no further details. | Halgurd Hekmat said the peshmerga fighters will leave the city of Irbil, in Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region, later on Tuesday. He gave no further details. |
| Last week, the Iraqi Kurdish government authorised the peshmerga to go to neighbouring Syria and help fellow Kurds combat Isis fighters in Kobani. A total of 150 peshmerga troops were authorised to go to Kobani through Turkey. | |
| Ankara, which has angered Kurdish leaders and frustrated Washington by refusing to allow fighters or weapons into Kobani via Turkey, said last week it would help the Iraqi peshmerga cross into Syria. | Ankara, which has angered Kurdish leaders and frustrated Washington by refusing to allow fighters or weapons into Kobani via Turkey, said last week it would help the Iraqi peshmerga cross into Syria. |
| On Tuesday afternoon, a large convoy with heavy weapons was seen in Irbil, driving towards the Iraqi Kurdish area of Dohuk. | On Tuesday afternoon, a large convoy with heavy weapons was seen in Irbil, driving towards the Iraqi Kurdish area of Dohuk. |
| The convoy was moving by land and it was not immediately clear whether the fighters had left or would leave on a plane and the convoy would drive to Turkey. | The convoy was moving by land and it was not immediately clear whether the fighters had left or would leave on a plane and the convoy would drive to Turkey. |
| Idriss Nassan, a Kurdish official from Kobani, said they have no confirmation that peshmerga fighters were to arrive on Tuesday. “We have no information other than what we are reading on social media or hearing on the news,” he said by phone from Turkey. | Idriss Nassan, a Kurdish official from Kobani, said they have no confirmation that peshmerga fighters were to arrive on Tuesday. “We have no information other than what we are reading on social media or hearing on the news,” he said by phone from Turkey. |
| He added that the peshmerga command might have direct contact with the Syrian Kurdish force known as the Peoples’ Protection Units, or YPG, and for that reason Kurdish politicians in Syria were not aware of the movement. | He added that the peshmerga command might have direct contact with the Syrian Kurdish force known as the Peoples’ Protection Units, or YPG, and for that reason Kurdish politicians in Syria were not aware of the movement. |
| Isis launched its offensive on Kobani and nearby villages in mid-September in battles that have killed more than 800 people, according to activists. | Isis launched its offensive on Kobani and nearby villages in mid-September in battles that have killed more than 800 people, according to activists. |
| The extremists captured dozens of Kurdish villages around Kobani and now also control parts of the town. More than 200,000 people have fled the fighting into Turkey. | The extremists captured dozens of Kurdish villages around Kobani and now also control parts of the town. More than 200,000 people have fled the fighting into Turkey. |
| The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the US-led coalition carried out three air strikes on Kobani in Tuesday, adding that they targeted a gathering of Isis fighters. | The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the US-led coalition carried out three air strikes on Kobani in Tuesday, adding that they targeted a gathering of Isis fighters. |