Jihadists take heavy losses in battle for Syria’s Kobane

The Islamic State group was taking heavy losses in the Syrian battleground of Kobane on Sunday as Iraqi forces fought the jihadists buoyed by U.S. backing for top government security appointments. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the appointment of defense and interior ministers after weeks of delay was a “very positive step forward” in the fight-back against IS in Iraq, which Washington has made its priority. But U.S.-led warplanes launched 11 airstrikes near Kobane on Saturday and Sunday, U.S. Central Command said, helping the town’s Kurdish defenders to repulse a new attempt to cut their supply lines into Turkey.

These were critical positions to be filled in order to assist with the organizing effort.

Iraq Prime Minister Haidar al-Abadi

Middle East Kobani