Turkish soldiers in a a tank hold their position on a hilltop on the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, overlooking smoke rising from an airstrike by the US-led coalition aircrafts in Kobani, Syria, during fighting between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2014 (Photo: AP)
A Kurdish official in Kobane said Thursday that US-led airstrikes have successfully pushed back Islamic State insurgents from parts of the besieged Syrian town.
"The international coalition has fought ISIS more effectively during the last few days," Nassen told AFP by telephone, using an alternative name for IS.
"Before they (IS) were in control of 30 percent of Kobane and now they control less than 20 percent thanks to the international coalition," he said.
Nassen said Kurdish forces were "flushing out" IS fighters from the eastern and southeastern parts of the town on the border with Turkey, calling for more military assistance.
"We need more airstrikes, as well as weaponry and ammunition to fight them on the ground," he said.
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