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Islamic State crisis: FSA reinforcements boost Kobane defence Islamic State crisis: FSA reinforcements boost Kobane defence
(about 1 hour later)
Up to 200 Syrian rebels have arrived in Kobane to help Kurdish fighters defending the northern border town against Islamic State (IS) militants.Up to 200 Syrian rebels have arrived in Kobane to help Kurdish fighters defending the northern border town against Islamic State (IS) militants.
All were fighting under the flag of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, an FSA commander in Kobane told the BBC.All were fighting under the flag of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, an FSA commander in Kobane told the BBC.
The news came as about 150 Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters arrived in Turkey on their way to the town.The news came as about 150 Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga fighters arrived in Turkey on their way to the town.
One contingent flew from Iraq to south-east Turkey while others with heavy weapons are driving overland. Syrian Kurds have been under siege in Kobane for six weeks, aided by US-led coalition air strikes.
After coming under considerable international pressure to do more to prevent Kobane falling into IS hands, the Turkish government agreed to the deployments last week. The battle has emerged as a major test of whether the air campaign can push back IS, but the defenders - thought to number between 1,000 and 2,000 - say they also need heavy weapons to defeat the militants.
It has refused to allow Turkish Kurds from the militant Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist group, to cross the border to fight since the assault on Kobane began six weeks ago. Analysis: Jim Muir, BBC News, Beirut, Lebanon
The PKK has fought a decades-long insurgency in Turkey, but agreed to a ceasefire last year. The arrival of Kurdish Peshmerga forces from Iraq, and of Arab rebels from the Free Syrian Army (FSA), reflects a determination by the US-led anti-IS coalition not to let Kobane fall.
The government in Ankara fears the Turkish Kurds will join the PKK's Syrian offshoot, the Democratic Unity Party (PYD), and use its territory to launch attacks on Turkey. Turkey, America's Nato ally which controls access to Kobani, won't let Syrian or other Kurdish volunteers cross to join the struggle with the Kurdish defenders of Kobane. It regards the latter - the YPG or People's Defence Units - as terrorists, being an offshoot of the Turkish Kurdish PKK movement.
The battle for Kobane has emerged as a major test of whether the US-led coalition's air campaign can push back IS. But Ankara has been under big pressure to allow some kind of reinforcements, to avoid a symbolic defeat of the coalition effort at Kobane.
Weeks of air strikes in and around Kobane have allowed fighters from the PYD's armed wing, the Popular Protection Units (YPG), to prevent it from falling. But clashes continued on Tuesday and a local Kurdish commander said IS still controlled 40% of the town. Turkey has a close relationship with the Iraqi Kurdish KDP, the predominant faction in Iraqi Kurdistan, and with the FSA groups it is allowing to cross.
Crowds dispersed Their impact may take some time to be felt, but the arrival of the heavier weaponry brought by the Iraqi Kurds may have an effect greater than the numbers of fighters involved, who will play a support role rather than front-line combat.
Thousands of cheering, flag-waving supporters gathered to see off the first batch of Peshmerga forces as they left Irbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdistan Region, by plane on Tuesday afternoon. An FSA commander in Kobane, Col Abdul Jabbar al-Oqaidi, told BBC Arabic that "around 200 fighters" had entered the besieged town to provide support to the defenders.
The group of 90-100 fighters landed in the early hours of Wednesday at Sanliurfa airport in south-eastern Turkey. He implied that more were ready to go, saying this was the first group and "we can't let all fighters in one go".
They were then reported to have left the airport in buses escorted by Turkish security forces. Activists from the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated that about 50 FSA fighters had arrived in Kobane.
A few hours later, just after dawn, a convoy of 80 lorries carrying weapons and more fighters crossed by land into south-eastern Turkey through the Habur border crossing. Meanwhile a group of Peshmerga fighters landed in the early hours of Wednesday at Sanliurfa airport in south-eastern Turkey and are now reportedly at an army base in Suruc, some 16km (10 miles) from Kobane.
Turkish police fired into the air to disperse a large crowd of Kurds who had come to welcome them. Some in the crowd threw stones at the police. Just after dawn, a convoy of lorries carrying weapons and more fighters crossed by land through the Habur border crossing further east and are now driving towards Suruc.
The two groups of fighters are expected to meet later on Wednesday in Suruc, some 16km (10 miles) from Kobane, before crossing the border into Syria. The two groups are expected to meet later on Wednesday before crossing the border into Syria.
Weeks of air strikes in and around Kobane have allowed fighters from the Syrian Kurdish PYD's armed wing, the Popular Protection Units (YPG), to prevent it from falling. But clashes continued on Tuesday and a local Kurdish commander said IS still controlled 40% of the town.
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has rejected claims that not enough was being done to end the jihadist assault.Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has rejected claims that not enough was being done to end the jihadist assault.
He told the BBC that Turkey would only take part once the US-led coalition against IS had an "integrated strategy" that included action against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.He told the BBC that Turkey would only take part once the US-led coalition against IS had an "integrated strategy" that included action against the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
He also noted that Western states were not prepared to send troops.He also noted that Western states were not prepared to send troops.
"The only way to help Kobane, since other countries don't want to use ground troops, is sending some peace-oriented or moderate troops to Kobane. What are they? Peshmerga... and Free Syrian Army," he added."The only way to help Kobane, since other countries don't want to use ground troops, is sending some peace-oriented or moderate troops to Kobane. What are they? Peshmerga... and Free Syrian Army," he added.
US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that America would "certainly encourage'' the deployment of Peshmerga forces to Kobane.US state department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said that America would "certainly encourage'' the deployment of Peshmerga forces to Kobane.
Activists say the battle for Kobane has so far left 800 people dead and forced more than 200,000 people to flee across the Turkish border.Activists say the battle for Kobane has so far left 800 people dead and forced more than 200,000 people to flee across the Turkish border.
IS has declared the formation of a caliphate in the large swathes of Syria and Iraq it has seized since 2013.IS has declared the formation of a caliphate in the large swathes of Syria and Iraq it has seized since 2013.
The UN says that millions of Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict have had an "enormous" impact on neighbouring countries in terms of "economics, public services, the social fabric of communities and the welfare of families".The UN says that millions of Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict have had an "enormous" impact on neighbouring countries in terms of "economics, public services, the social fabric of communities and the welfare of families".
More than three million Syrians have fled their country since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011, with most of them now sheltering in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.More than three million Syrians have fled their country since the uprising against President Assad began in March 2011, with most of them now sheltering in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey and Iraq.