Peshmerga warriors march in to bolster defence of Kobani

Kurdish peshmerga forces streamed across the Syrian border from Turkey Friday to bolster defenders in the key border town of Kobani which is under assault by Islamic State group jihadists. The 150 peshmerga entered Kobani after crossing the border with their heavy weaponry from Tal al-Shair, west of the town. The fighters had arrived from northern Iraq in two contingents - one by air and one by land - but both appeared to be heading to the border together. The air contingent arrived early on Wednesday and the land contingent the next day. There had been growing frustration among some Kurds over why the deployment was taking so long. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan took aim at Western leaders for focusing too much on the battle for Kobani, however.

Why are coalition forces continually bombing this town of Kobane? We talk about nothing other than Kobane which is on the Turkish border and where there is no one left any more except 2,000 people fighting.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Ankara’s decision to permit heavily armed Iraqi peshmerga forces and opposition rebels to cross its border into Syria has sparked condemnation from Damascus, which denounced it as a “flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty”. The US-led coalition carrying out air raids against IS in both Syria and Iraq has intensified attacks around Kobane.

It is up to you to protect the lives of the innocent citizens and protect their property… whatever confession they may belong to.

Shiite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali

Middle East peshmerga