ISIL flag raised in Syrian border town near Turkey
- 10 years ago
Militants from the group calling itself Islamic State (ISIL) raised their flag on a building on the outskirts of the Syrian border town of Kobani.
Intense fighting has been raging between Kurdish and ISIL fighters who have battled to control the predominately Kurdish town for almost three weeks.
“ISIL have only planted a flag on one building on the eastern side of town,” said Ismail Eskin, a journalist in the town. “That is not inside the city, it’s on the eastern side. They are not inside the city. Intense clashes are continuing.”
Turkey meanwhile has beefed up its military presence along the volatile frontier with Syria.
Ankara had so far taken a back seat in the battle against ISIL but it has vowed to protect its own borders.
Over a dozen Turkish tanks appeared to have taken up defensive positions on a hill in the Turkish town of Mursitpinar, just across the border from Kobani.
Meanwhile the NATO military alliance will stand by Turkey if that proves necessary to protect the country from attacks by ISIL, NATO Secetary General Jens Stolenberg said on Monday.
“Turkey should know that NATO will be there if there is any spillover, any attacks on Turkey as a consequence of the violence we see in Syria,” said Stolenberg.
Intense fighting has been raging between Kurdish and ISIL fighters who have battled to control the predominately Kurdish town for almost three weeks.
“ISIL have only planted a flag on one building on the eastern side of town,” said Ismail Eskin, a journalist in the town. “That is not inside the city, it’s on the eastern side. They are not inside the city. Intense clashes are continuing.”
Turkey meanwhile has beefed up its military presence along the volatile frontier with Syria.
Ankara had so far taken a back seat in the battle against ISIL but it has vowed to protect its own borders.
Over a dozen Turkish tanks appeared to have taken up defensive positions on a hill in the Turkish town of Mursitpinar, just across the border from Kobani.
Meanwhile the NATO military alliance will stand by Turkey if that proves necessary to protect the country from attacks by ISIL, NATO Secetary General Jens Stolenberg said on Monday.
“Turkey should know that NATO will be there if there is any spillover, any attacks on Turkey as a consequence of the violence we see in Syria,” said Stolenberg.