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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Battle for Kobane Rages as Iraqi Fighters Arrive |
| 2014-11-02 |
| [AnNahar] Fighting raged in the Syrian border town of Kobane on Saturday after jihadists launched a new assault on Kurdish militia bolstered by the arrival of heavily armed Iraqi peshmerga forces. The roughly 150 Iraqi fighters, many of them chanting "Kobane", received a hero's welcome as they crossed the border from Turkey late Friday to join fellow Kurds trying to repel the Islamic State ...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not reallyMoslems.... (IS) group. The town has become a key battleground whose capture would be a major prize for the jihadists, giving them unbroken control of a long stretch of Syria's border with Turkey. Fierce festivities in and around Kobane have killed about 100 IS fighters in the past three days, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Fifteen Kurdish defenders also bit the dust on Friday, according to the Britannia-based monitoring group, which relies on a wide network of sources inside Syria. It said in total 958 people had been killed since IS launched an assault on Kobane in mid-September -- 576 IS jihadists, 361 Kurdish fighters and 21 civilians. Kobane's defenders have been pleading for reinforcements and the peshmerga armed with machineguns, heavy artillery and rocket launchers traveled through Turkey to Syria from Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region. They stood atop their pick-ups, waving to onlookers and brandishing their rifles in the air as they crossed the frontier into Kobane. Turkish police lined the road holding anti-riot shields. Ankara also allowed dozens of lightly armed Free Syrian Army ... the more palatable version of the Syrian insurgency, heavily influenced by the Moslem Brüderbund... rebels to cross into Kobane this week. Intense fighting erupted late Friday in the town and continued during the night as Kurdish fighters fended off a new IS attack in the north of the city, the Observatory said. Gunfire and kabooms were heard on Saturday morning although the peshmerga forces were not thought to have yet joined the fighting, it said. U.S. hopes of creating and training a moderate rebel force as a counterweight to jihadists and Assad's forces suffered a blow after Al-Qaeda affiliated snuffies drove rebels of the Western-backed Syrian Revolutionary Front from their bastion in the northwestern province of Idlib. The Al-Nusra ...the current nom de guerre of al-Qaeda in the Levant, which isn't to be confused with al-Qaeda in Iraq and the Levant... Front jihadist group captured the village of Deir Sinbel and seized arms and tanks from the SRF, the Observatory said Saturday after 24 hours of combat. The moderate rebel group, backed by the West and various Arab countries, favors the establishment of a democratic state in a post-Assad Syria. In Iraq, government forces Friday attacked the strategic jihadist-held town of Baiji, which has been out of Baghdad's control for months, regaining control of two areas, army officers said. Baiji lies on the main highway to Iraq's IS-controlled second city djinn-infested Mosul ... the home of a particularly ferocious and hairy djinn... , and its recapture would also help to further isolate snuffies in the city of Tikrit, to the south. U.S. officials meanwhile said Washington was drafting plans to deploy American military advisers to Iraq's troubled western province of Anbar and to help arm Sunni tribes to fight IS. About 600 U.S. military advisers are already based in Baghdad and in the northern city of Arbil. But as IS has steadily rolled back the Iraqi army in the west, U.S. and coalition officials have grown increasingly convinced of the need to station advisers in Anbar to assist the Iraqi troops. "We're going to have to help stiffen their resistance and provide some help outside of those two cities, Baghdad and Arbil, and specifically to help them in Anbar province," a senior U.S. military officer said on condition of anonymity. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #47 ISIS is not putting their top end troops from what those videos show. Those are not the hard Chechen fighters, those are hamburger volunteers I suspect the hardcore elements are being used to hold and solidify IS territory in Syria, as well as NKVD-type troops elsewhere to keep the volunteers moving forward and in 'cleaning up' recalcitrant tribes and villages. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-11-02 20:28 |
| #46 Thanks guys for the very nice comments today. Good Night, stay safe. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 18:38 |
| #45 Courage is after diffusing numerous road side bombs you sit down on tons of explosives to strike a match and have a smoke. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 18:01 |
| #44 Thank you JohnQC. Peshmerga diffuses a road side bomb. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 17:54 |
| #43 Ebbomosh Hupemp2664: Fantastic job! |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2014-11-02 17:32 |
| #42 OldSpook, A Keyboard can be mightier than a Sword. L.A., California based Kurdish actress Helan Abdulla who is an ardent supporter of the Peshmerga, especially in their fight against ISIS, is now receiving death threats.  |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 16:35 |
| #41 ....as he clutches his thumbdrive. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-11-02 15:54 |
| #40 Oh, and to be clear, nothing I post here is anything other than from open sources and a bit of analytical thought tempered by age. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-11-02 15:52 |
| #39 That pattern camo is similar to the tricolor "pinks" the US used to have, back toward Desert Storm post-chocolate-chip. Its common enough in the region, plus the Navy was wearing similar up until a few years ago. As for the training, all the training in the world isn't going to remedy the lack of heavy weapons, especially artillery. Light infantry can only do so much on its own. The rocket attack is more of whats needed - interdiction that I'm always nattering on about. ISIS is not putting their top end troops from what those videos show. Those are not the hard Chechen fighters, those are hamburger volunteers. The PKK videos I have seen, although likely edited with bias aforethought, show some pretty good fire discipline versus the usual Arab irregulars' pray and spray. As far as training in the region, nothing recent, but I know others who have done some of that as late as this past winter. A bit of snow in the area. Problem with getting old is your friends get old too, and fewer of us still able to be active with anything more than a keyboard, and fewer of us still around. Thats how things go - one can hope to preserve the lessons learned so they don't have to be relearned. Academics like Obama seem to think they don't need institutional memory for anything. Damned fools. God help the Kurds, because in the end, we aren't going to do much with the current leadership in place. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-11-02 15:43 |
| #38 Pappy, those uniforms could have come from Iran: April 2014 Article IRBIL: Iran has supplied weapons and ammunition to Iraqi Kurdish forces, Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani said Tuesday at a joint press conference with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Irbil, capital of Iraq's Kurdish region. The direct arming of Kurdish forces is a contentious issue because some Iraqi politicians have said they suspect Kurdish leaders have aspirations to break away from the central government completely. The move could also be seen by some as a prelude to Iran taking a more direct role in broader Iraqi conflict. "We asked for weapons and Iran was the first country to provide us with weapons and ammunition," Barzani said. Read more: (Link) |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 15:10 |
| #37 Yes, very low key... and even so today. Being on the right side of history is not always rewarding. Things might be quite different today if our government had provided support as well. They were after all, fighting communists. Thank God for U.S. Naval Air. At least they are pounding the ISIS bastards as best they can and are permitted. You hear all the chin wagging about defeating terrorism. Well fok Charles, here's you're bloody chance, they're all queuing up for us. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-11-02 15:05 |
| #36 That ain't an Iraqi sleeve patch. It's Iranian. As previously mentioned, it's not. However, the camouflage pattern is one supposedly still used by IRGC special units (and Iranian border police.) |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-11-02 15:00 |
| #35 #2 reminds of another group of Americans, long since forgotten, or nearly so I recall talking with a couple of "sales reps" in Mombasa back in 1979, when our battlegroup was in port. It was interesting and very low-key. Rumor was that they got a few hires from those who EAOS'ed. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-11-02 14:53 |
#34 Iraqi Peshmerga fighting behind Kurdish lines in Kobane, Syria launched Katyusha rockets into a nest of ISIS fighters 5KM east of Kobane in Abrosh, Syria designated in the red box in the image below. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 13:30 |
| #33 Thank you Steve White. Will do. You guys have a vital platform that the US MSM should have but do not have in the name of Freedom that is important to people around the world. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 13:03 |
| #32 Thank you TW. I have talked to people in the CIA as well as Centcom's office of investigations who refer to this forum for information on the "badboyz" and "wallah jackets" around the world. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 13:00 |
| #31 Ebbomosh, keep posting in either comments or as guest posts. It's very much appreciated and helps make Rantburg University what it is. If you need help with the latter let us mods know and we'll do what we can. You can post pics by sending them to us or by embedding a link. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2014-11-02 12:57 |
| #30 Kurdish YPG Homemade armored troup carriers. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 12:55 |
| #29 A detective with the CIA gleans information from this site and uses for his work. Centcom is also aware of the site. *waves to the lurkers in the neat, black suits, and the others in the even neater uniforms* It's kind of you to mention that, Ebbomosh Hupemp2664. As I recall, someone mentioned mentioning this site to Mr. Rumsfeld, back when he was running things in the geometric building. I gorge on the educational aspects of this site, and the comfort of knowing when I do and don't need to worry when Mr. Wife is perambulating round the world on his little business trips, but it's nice to know we also are serving the struggle even as we snark among ourselves. :-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-11-02 12:54 |
| #28 Will do Badanov, will try to locate them. Thanks Besoeker. Thanks to Fred for the forum. A detective with the CIA gleans information from this site and uses for his work. Centcom is also aware of the site. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 12:35 |
| #27 Don't doubt your accuracy, and it is really A+ work, there are those who are looking for that one bad apple to discredit the whole line. Your work is being shared, and it is much appreciated by us out here. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-11-02 12:30 |
| #26 Post the links here anyway. I bet I can find a youtube version. |
| Posted by: badanov 2014-11-02 12:25 |
| #25 Thank you Frank G. There are three videos that were not in the format that could be posted here, that show the terrible battle skills of ISIS. Each of them shows ISIS running out into the street to spray with automatic weapons, only to get cut to pieces by the Kurds. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 12:24 |
| #24 good work, EH |
| Posted by: Frank G 2014-11-02 12:19 |
| #23 OldSpook Agreed. Especially the female Kurdish population who now have the right to possess automatic weapons, not have to wear the hijab and are inclusive will also be a force to recon with on the political front. Your training of the people in that region clearly has impacted the region. The young warriors there are very disciplined and are busting ISIS pretty good. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 12:11 |
| #22 Interesting assessment at #21. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-11-02 12:05 |
| #21 Ebb, Very true - no putting the Kurds back into the corner. I've "trained the trainers" to the west of Iraq for people indigenous to the Kurdish region. And "visited" there briefly in better times. Its time we quit pretending and simply supported the Kurds overtly throught the region. The Cult of Apo (Abdullah Öcalan) is worrisome, but its also a lever. He's 66, and he has already moved philosophically from the marxist toward western/democratic social ideaology, If *he* gets credit for being a founding father (ego!) of Kursdistan, there might be a route to get the PKK into a liberating and militaristic but non-terroristic (no civilian targets) force. They've already renounced civilian targets years ago. The western press needs to catch up, and stop parroting the Turkish/Erdogan propaganda. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-11-02 12:02 |
| #20 Thank you Badanov. Word is that the Kobane Alliance is now going to start pushing ISIS out of all of Kobane. Their first object is the Security Zone area of Kobane. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 12:01 |
| #19 Very much appreciated indeed. #2 reminds of another group of Americans, long since forgotten, or nearly so. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-11-02 11:58 |
| #18 Your posts here are very much appreciated, Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 Thanks for the correction from you are OS. |
| Posted by: badanov 2014-11-02 11:55 |
| #17 The fallout from ISIS is the Kurds plan to be a force to recon with. They are in the process of growing their military capabilities in the ME 7 times over. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 11:46 |
#16  The Vierkleur. Different geography, same cause of freedom. Die rooi, wit, en blou is nie toeval [no accident] nie. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2014-11-02 11:41 |
| #15 Correction, the above message was more for swksvolFF. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 11:38 |
| #14 JohnQC, To my surprise I am finding the best source is Twitter. Kurds are heavy Tweeters. They check each others images, videos and reports as they are intensely concerned about what is going on in their region so they are quick to fact check and correct their information as well as we are. The Pesh, YPG, YPJ, FSA and many others including ISIS have numerous hashtags throughout Twitter. I have to do a lot of Arabic to English translations but I find the Kurdish resistance fascinating. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 11:36 |
| #13 What's the weapon he is carrying? An M4? Looks like a Colt Commando |
| Posted by: badanov 2014-11-02 11:12 |
| #12 #5 That ain't an Iraqi sleeve patch. It's Iranian. What's the weapon he is carrying? An M4? |
| Posted by: JohnQC 2014-11-02 11:07 |
| #11 badanov's point is true, EH is putting out some good pics (#4s hands is an A+ contender), careful of not-accurate stuff. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-11-02 11:03 |
| #10 (#5) Iranian and Kurdish flags are similar. Kurdish flag:  Iranian flag:  The flags are very similar with the difference between Iranian and Kurdish flags is the bars are flipped and the center of the flag is home to a different symbol. The patch is Kurdish. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 10:53 |
| #9 Peshmerga flag is very similar. |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2014-11-02 10:52 |
#8 Thats not Iranian, its the Kurdish flag. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-11-02 10:50 |
| #7 hundreds of civilians fleeing the fighting were seen on the border. The Turkish military prevented a number of people from delivering food, water, and other supplies to the crowd as they waited to cross. A large number of cars could also be seen, as many refugees entering Turkey with cars were not able to pay the automobile toll, which costs $700 Ah the always compassionate Turks. /sarc What incredible scumbags the Turks are. Whya re we still treating them like an ally, when their behavior shows them to be hostile? 1. Withdraw all US and NATO forces from Turkey. 2. stop all aid, military and financial to Turkey, kicking them out of NATO. 3. Stop all trade agreements with Turkey from which they draw any benefit. 4. Back the Kurds for their revolution and insurgency for their homeland inside SE Turkey, and do so in a meaningful manner, such as promising full military support if Kurdistan is attacked. 5. Just to piss off Erdogan, back Greece in all disputes, especially Cyprus. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2014-11-02 10:46 |
| #6 “The peshmerga forces that joined the resistance in Kobane and our forces launched a coordinated attack. The attack was launched on the position of the gangs around the town with Katyusha rockets. No information has yet been obtained regarding the result of the attack”, said the YPG Press Centre. The YPG Press Centre has issued a statement on the 48th day of the Kobanê resistance, saying that in the last 24 hours 43 gang members have been killed. The statement also said that the YPG and peshmerga had carried out a coordinated attack on the gangs using Katyusha rockets. ***** The YPG has provided detailed information regarding the clashes that intensified in the northwest of Kobane, in Municipality Street and Azadi Square of the town. YPG also reported that YPG and peshmerga forces jointly launched an operation targeting the ISIS gangs with rockets. YPG said while the attacks of the ISIS gangs were repulsed, gangs suffered heavy losses in the counter attacks launched by YPG forces. YPG said their forces launched operations against the positions of the gangs in the Kaniya Kurda area to the northwest of the town. YPG said: “As far as ascertained, 14 gang members were killed in the operation. Our forces seized 2 heavy machine guns, 1 rocket, 1 AK 47 and a large amount of ammunition belonging to these weapons. Our forces also seized the bodies of 3 gang members”. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 10:43 |
| #5 That ain't an Iraqi sleeve patch. It's Iranian. |
| Posted by: badanov 2014-11-02 10:33 |
#4 Newly arrived Iraqi Peshmerga from the Kurdish region of Iraq meet and great with non Kurdish Free Syrian Army members fighting in Kobane, Syria against ISIS. Forces throughout the middle East are now allied and fighting together in Kobane, Syria against ISIS. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 10:31 |
| #3 Credit Australia, one of the men in the above picture is a Veteran of Australia's armed forces. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 10:24 |
#2 Sam Fisher, Jeremy Dale Woodard and other American Veterans join Jordan Matson to form an American YPG unit within the Kurdish YPG armed forces in Syia. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 10:20 |
| #1 Iraqi Kurdish troops bring out heavy guns in Kobane ERBIL/SYRIAN-TURKISH BORDER - Iraqi Kurdish Peshmerga troops entered into the battle for the besieged city of Kobane in earnest on Sunday, as the sound of heavy weaponry they brought with them from Iraq echoed across the Syrian-Turkish border, according to a Rudaw team on the Turkish side. US-led coalition planes pounded Islamic State (ISIS) positions in the city overnight in the most intense bombing in weeks, with local witnesses counting between five and seven strikes between 10pm Saturday and 7am Sunday. Planes hit another ISIS position late Sunday morning, which was followed by fierce Kurdish gunfire nearby. Sources within the Peshmerga confirmed that Kurdish Region troops had deployed to various positions within the city accompanying People’s Protection Units (PYD), the Syrian Kurdish force that resisted the militants alone for two weeks without airstrikes, and six weeks without help on the ground. Meanwhile hundreds of civilians fleeing the fighting were seen on the border. The Turkish military prevented a number of people from delivering food, water, and other supplies to the crowd as they waited to cross. A large number of cars could also be seen, as many refugees entering Turkey with cars were not able to pay the automobile toll, which costs $700 according to several Kobane residents. (Link) |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2014-11-02 10:11 |