Editorial Comment:
Earlier today the YPG defense forces announced that Da’ash had retreated from Kobanê, and that they may be close to victory. (YPG Kobanê Commander: “We are close to victory”)
The YPG have just released an official statement that Da’ash have returned with reinforcements.
The battle for Kobanê is not over.
ANF – KOBANÊ 17.10.2014
Releasing a statement about the fighting going on in the Kobanê town of West Kurdistan, Rojava, on the 32nd day, YPG (People’s Protection Units) Press Centre reported that ISIS gangs are trying to intensify their attacks with reinforcements brought in from various bases, mainly from Jarablus, Gire Spî (Tal Abyad) and Raqqa.
Remarking that YPG, YPJ and Burkan Al Fırat forces taking part in the defence of Kobanê have also launched attacks against some ISIS positions, YPG noted that: “After the repulsion of their attacks, gangs are now shelling the town centre and the border crossing area.”
YPG Press Centre also reported that clashes erupted at two separate points on the eastern front yesterday afternoon and continued till late night.
The statement said YPG forces have repulsed the attacks gangs launched on the Kaniya Kurda region and the areas liberated by YPG forces the day before, on the northeastern front. “The gangs also launched attacks from two directions around the municipality building at the eastern entrance of the town. The repulsion of these attacks by our fighters forced the gangs to retreat to their positions”, it added.
On the southeastern front which involves the Miştenur Hill as well, YPG forces repulsed the consequent attacks the gangs carried out last night, the statement said.
According to YPG Press Centre, the assault forces of the gangs have been weakened on the southern front where they had been inflicted a heavy blow the day before. Gangs continued to shell the town centre and YPG positions with heavy weaponry from this front throughout last night.
Recalling that a clash broke out between YPG forces and ISIS gangs around the Mala Mustafayê Musa village to the west of Kobanê yesterday afternoon, the statement added that YPG forces launched an attack targeting the gangs deployed in the Arbuş hamlet, again to the west of Kobanê, forcing gangs to flee this area as a result of clashes.
YPG noted that a vehicle of the gangs was destroyed, with militants inside it, near the Menazê village to the southwest of the Kobanê town.
18 gang members were ascertained killed in the last one day of fighting in Kobanê, the statement said, adding that 3 YPG fighters have fallen bravely fighting in the defense of Kobanê.
YPG operation in Serêkaniyê continues
ANF – SERÊKANİYE 17.10.2014
YPG (People’s Protection Units) Press Centre has released a statement providing information about the YPG operation going on in west and southeast Serêkaniyê since 11 October.
The statement said that YPG forces have carried out an attack targeting an ambush group of the gangs on the borderline while on the other hand hitting the ISIS positions in and around the Rawiya region.
YPG said at least 4 gang members have been ascertained killed in YPG attacks.
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YPG Kobanê Commander: “We are close to victory”
Editorial Comment:ANF – KOBANÊ 17.10.2014
In the following report we are told that victory is at hand.
According to RT, Da’ash have retreated from the city and the Kurdish fighters are engaged in a thorough sweep and will make a victory announcement once Kobanê is confirmed clear.
Have Da’ash retreated or is this merely a strategy that will permit them to regroup and return with greater force?
YPG Kobanê Commander Mahmut Berxwedan spoke to Ronahi TV. He said that, as watched by the world, Kobanê had resisted for 32 days, adding that they were now close to victory.
Berxwedan emphasised that the Kobanê resistance had begun in the villages, where there had been a great resistance from house to house, hamlet to hamlet and from village to village. He added that for 10 to 15 days there had now been resistance on the southern and eastern fronts, adding: “ISIS corpses are in the streets and in every house. We have made a great advance on all three fronts in the last 3 days. Every day we are killing them and seizing their weapons. There is now a clean-up operation going on in Kobanê.”
‘Coalition planes have not hit YPG or civilians’
“Whatever the Turkish press says, the situation of the resistance in Kobanê is apparent”, added YPG Kobanê Commander Mahmud Berxwedan, adding that claims in certain press outlets that coalition planes had hit civilians and YPG positions by mistake were not correct. “Nothing like that has happened,” said Berxwedan, stressing that on the contrary coalition planes had been careful.
Mahmud Berxwedan said that ISIS had calculated that it would capture Kobanê within a few days and had brought forces in accordance with that plan. He added that while ISIS had captured other countries with such a force, it had not been able to take Kobanê in a month. The YPG commander said: “this demonstrates that the resistance here has been unprecedented. They brought weapons they had taken from the Iraqi and Syrian armies, but we are fighting them with our determination, without any arms support from anywhere.”
Berxwedan added that those who wanted Kobanê to fall were victims of their own imagination, saying: “the fall of Kobanê is a fantasy that will never materialise.”
Berxwedan concluded by saying this was all down to the month-long resistance, adding: “Let all the world see, those who did not believe should see. Kobanê is a place of resistance and victory. It doesn’t matter what anyone says, they should come and see the reality in Kobanê.”
Initiative now with YPG in Kobanê
ANF/ SEDAT SUR – KOBANÊ 17.10.2014
As ISIS attacks on Kobanê enter their 32nd day, the gangs are suffering serious blows at the hands of the YPG. After reaching certain neighbourhoods of the town the gangs are now beginning to falter as they face the YPG resistance.
YPG/YPJ Kobanê commander Meryem Kobanê spoke to ANF, saying that in the last two days in particular things have gone well and that the initiative is now with them. She added that the gangs were trying to overcome their disarray with suicide attacks, but that all these attempts had been prevented by the YPG fighters. She said that despite this, the ISIS gangs were continuing their attacks, and were renewing their military build-up.
Gangs are targeting the border gate
Meryem Kobanê said that clashes were continuing, “but the initiative is now with the YPG. Clashes are now concentrated in the east of the town, on the border. The gangs are trying to reach the Mürşitpınar gate, but our forces are inflicting heavy blows on them.”
She said there had been constant mortar fire on the town from the Miştenur hill and some houses in recent days, and that Miştenur was still under the control of the ISIS gangs.
We have forced the gangs back in the town centre
Meryem Kobanê said there had been significant developments to the west of the town around Tel Shair, adding: “We have liberated the village of Tel Shair and our forces have control of the hill. We have also forced the gangs back a few streets in the centre of town in the area around the town hall and inflicted serious blows on them.”
Initiative is now with the YPG
Meryem Kobanê said that since yesterday the initiative has been with the YPG, adding that they had attacked the hill in the Kanîya Kûrda area where an ISIS flag had been flying, taking it down. However, she added that ISIS gangs were still in the Kanîya Kûrda area and that their operations were continuing against them in order to cleanse the whole town of the gangs.
ISIS gangs attempting suicide attacks to overcome their setbacks
Kobanê recalled that the gangs had attempted several suicide attacks in recent days, saying these attempts were related to the setbacks they had suffered. Kobanê said it would not be possible for the gangs to succeed with these attacks, as the YPG fighters had taken precautions and prevented these attacks with bomb-laden vehicles.
Meryem Kobanê concluded by promising the Kurdish people that: “we will triumph. We have belief and we are determined. We will succeed, no one should have any doubt about that. Kobanê has not fallen and it will not fall.”
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