U.S. to Deploy Special Operations Forces to Syria

The White House said on Friday it will deploy several dozen U.S. Special Operations troops in Kurdish-controlled northeast Syria to advise and assist Kurdish security forces in an effort to break the military stalemate against the Islamic State. The special operators will also help gather battlefield intelligence and facilitate U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against Islamic State targets.

The U.S. will also deploy a dozen of A-10 attack aircraft and an equal number of F-15 fighter jets to Incirlik Air Base in Turkey near the Syrian border to support ground operations against ISIL. A key goal of the current plan is to help opposition and Kurdish security forces to cut supply lines and communications between Raqqa, Islamic State’s administrative capital in Syria, and Mosul, its self-declared capital in Iraq, as critical step to push ISIL out of both cities.

Meanwhile, farther south and west, Russian warplanes and Iran-led pro-regime forces under the command of Gen. Soleimani are engaged in a three-week-old offensive on multiple fronts against the opposition forces and ISIL around the city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest.

Photo credit: Fighting in the strategic town of Safira, 16 miles southeast of Aleppo, between Iran-led forces and ISIL; 31 October 2015 (Twitter)

Turkish Military Campaign against Kurds Intensifies

As Turkey launched heaviest airstrikes yet on PKK positions in the Kurdish region spanning southeast Turkey and northern Iraq, the militants today attacked Turkish security forces in two separate assaults, killing five. Turkey began its airstrikes last week, shattering a 2.5-year truce with Kurdish militants who seek autonomy for the Kurdish regions of the country.

Today, the leader of pro-Kurdish opposition HDP party, which won a surprisingly large number of seats in Turkish parliamentary elections on 7 June, accused Erdogan’s ruling party of dragging the country into conflict in revenge for losing its majority in the parliament, largely due to impressive HDP showing.

Selahattin Demirtas, the HDP leader, also said that Turkey’s recent airstrikes in northern Syria, under the cover of targeting Islamic State militants, were largely meant to prevent the Syrian Kurds to establish a contiguous Kurdish region in northern Syria. The PYG, the Syrian Kurdish militants, have been leading the fight against ISIL in Syria, since they famously defeated ISIL in Kobane, and have recently retaken territories in northeast Syria occupied by ISIL. Having a contiguous region in Syria is a crucial step in establishing an autonomous Kurdish region on Turkish border, something Turkey violently opposes.

File photo: A missile-loaded Turkish Air Force warplane over Incirlik Air Base in Adana, Turkey; 28 July 2015 (Emrah Gurel/AP)

Turkey Attacks PKK

Breaking 2.5-Year Truce with Kurds

Turkish warplanes on Friday struck camps and weapons storage facilities belonging to the Kurdish Workers Party or PKK at its Mount Qandil headquarters in Iraqi Kurdistan. The airstrikes ended a two-and-a-half-year truce between PKK, representing Turkey’s Kurds, and the Turkish military. The truce was considered a signature achievement for Erdogan’s government, but as observed by the PKK it “has no meaning anymore.”

The events culminating with the Turkish airstrikes began after an Islamic State suicide bomber killed 30 Kurds in southern Kurdish town of Suruc last week. PKK has long accused Turkey of cooperating with ISIL and it carried out retaliatory shootings against Turkish police.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Kurds led by the PKK-affiliate militia group YPG, who famously fought and defeated ISIL in Kobane, are engaged in fierce fighting with ISIL in Syria, and in recent weeks have captured enough territory previously held by ISIL to enable them to form a contiguous Kurdish territory in northern Syria, a key to formation of an autonomous Kurdish region. Turkey worries that YPG advances could strengthen PKK’s position inside Turkey.

On Friday, Turkey also struck ISIL positions in Syria for the first time in the war. The Kurdish critics of Erdogan government said the attacks on ISIL were a smokescreen to hit PKK positions and silence any U.S. criticism.   

File photo: Turkish F-16 (Osman Orsal/Reuters)

U.S. airstrikes in Raqqa Hinders ISIL Ability to Stop Kurdish Advances

U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter said in Washington on Monday that a flurry of U.S. airstrikes around Raqqa, Syria, over the weekend were aimed at disturbing the ability of ISIL to hinder territorial advances by Syrian Kurdish fighters north of the city.

The U.S.-led coalition hit Raqqa, the de-facto capital of ISIL in Syria, with 18 airstrikes on Saturday, destroying 16 bridges as well as tactical units and vehicles.

Carter said the airstrikes were aimed at limiting ISIL’s “freedom of movement and ability to counter those capable Kurdish forces” that have made advances in northern Syria.

“That’s the matter in which effective and lasting defeat of ISIL will occur, when there are effective local forces on the ground that we can support and enable so that they can take territory, hold territory and make sure good governance comes in behind it,” Carter added. (AFP/Daily Star, 5 July)

The Kurdish YPG forces, which famously fought ISIL in Kobane and defeated them earlier this year, have recently gained significant territory, including the capture of the town of Tal Abyad, cutting the main highway between Raqqa and Turkey to the north and curbing the flow of foreign fighters to ISIL. The ground advances have enabled the YPG to form a contiguous Kurdish land in northern Syria, a key step to creating an autonomous Kurdish state.

File photo: FA-18 Super Hornets (Wikipedia)

Kurdish Forces Capture Tel Abyad, Syrian Border Town

Kurdish YPG forces today captured the Syrian town of Tel Abyad on the Turkish border, striking a major blow to ISIL insurgents who had held the town and its border crossing for more than a year, The New York Times reported. Kurdish commanders took control of the town on Tuesday. They are now clearing booby-traps and mines planted by ISIL throughout the city. ISIL had used Tel Abyad border crossing to smuggle in fighters and materiel into its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa.

YPG, which in January led the liberation of Kobane, and their Arab allies, brought down the black flag of ISIL and raised their own flag in the city center. Capturing the town now allows the Syrian Kurds to link different parts of predominantly Kurdish territories in northern Syria, a major step in creating an autonomous Kurdish regional government in the country.

It was unclear if Turkey would allow YPG to use the Tel Abyad border crossing to bring in badly needed supplies. People’s Protection Units (YPG) is an offshoot of Turkey's Kurdish PKK, which has been battling Turkish forces during a 30-year insurgency.

YPG's advance toward Tel Abyad last week was facilitated by intense U.S.-led airstrikes against ISIL positions in and around the city.

Photo credit: A Turkish soldier watched Tuesday as the flag of YPG was raised over the city of Tel Abyad, Syria. The town is on the Turkish border. (Lefteris Pitarakis/AP)

Syrian Kurds Battle ISIL at Turkish Border

The YPG, the Syrian-Kurdish armed unit that led the liberation of Kobane in January, is now battling ISIL to capture Tel Abyad, a Syrian town at the Turkish border. Seizing Tel Abyad not only deals a blow to the Islamic State, but also would help the YPG to link up Kurdish-controlled areas in northern Syria. This could be a major step toward establishing an autonomous Kurdish regional government in Syria.

YPG fighters were battling ISIL militants at the eastern outskirts of Tel Abyad on Sunday, Reuters reported. They are pushing into ISIL stronghold of Raqqa province and threatening one of its supply lines to Raqqa city, ISIL’s de facto capital.

“The road connecting Tel Abyad and Raqqa city is in our firing range,” said YPG spokesman Redur Xeili. (Reuters, 14 June)

The YPG offensive is supported by U.S.-led coalition airstrikes and small Syrian rebel groups.

Photo credit: Turkish soldiers stand guard as Syrian refugees wait for transportation after crossing into Turkey from Tel Abyad; 10 June 2015 (Osman Orsal/Reuters)

ISIL Blames U.S. Airstrikes for Loss of Kobane

The Islamic State today acknowledged that its fighters have been defeated in Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane, and blamed U.S.-led coalition airstrikes for its defeat.

“A while ago we retreated a bit from Ayn al-Islam (Kobane) because of the bombardment and the killing of some brothers,” an ISIL fighter told the Associated Press. “The Islamic State will stay. Say that to Obama.” (AP, 31 January)

Another ISIL fighter complained, “The warplanes were bombarding us night and day. They bombarded everything, even motorcycles.”

ISIL fighters said they would continue their fight against the Kurdish militia YPG, the main defenders of Kobane.

ISIL launched its offensive on the Kobane region in mid-September, occupying some 300 villages and large parts of the city. More than 1,000 of its fighters were killed as a result of still Kurdish resistance and U.S.-led coalition airstrikes.

More than 200,000 Kurds were forced from their homes. Many fled to neighboring Turkey.

Photo credit: Kobane refugee children playing outside their tent in the Turkish border town of Suruc; 30 January 2015 (Emrah Gurel/AP)

Kurdish Fighters Near Victory in Battle with ISIL

Kurdish fighters in Kobane appeared poised on Monday to deal a decisive defeat to Islamic State insurgents after four months of street clashes and U.S. and coalition bombardment. ISIL's defeat in Kobane also signifies a solid win for Obama's strategy.

The U.S. Central Command confirmed that anti-ISIL forces now control about 90 percent of Kobane. CENTCOM congratulated the “courageous fighters” who confronted ISIL insurgents in the town, which is on the Syrian side of the border with Turkey.

“Anti-ISIL forces have fought aggressively with resilience and fortitude,” CENTCOM said in a statement. “While the fight against ISIL is far from over, ISIL’s failure in Kobane has denied them one of their strategic objectives.”

UPDATE: YPG fighters were said to have entered outlying areas in the east of Kobane after ISIL insurgents retreated, ending a four-month battle for the twon. (BBC, 26 January)

Photo credit: Popular Protection Units (YPG) fighters flew their flag on a hill overlooking Kobane on Monday (EPA/BBC)

U.S.-led Coalition Jets Strike ISIL Positions in Kobane

U.S.-led coalition jets pounded Islamic State targets in Kobane on Saturday. There were a total of six airstrikes against ISIL today. Earlier in the day the Islamic State shelled the city’s center and hit border areas within Turkey.

YPG Kurdish fighters, with help of U.S.-led strikes, are holding out against the Islamic State for more than a month of valiant defense of their city. Kobane is already being compared to Stalingrad and that city’s heroic defense against the Nazis. 

ISIL’s shelling of border areas with Turkey appears to be an attempt to cut off Kobane’s last link with Turkey.

“They want to cut off Kobane’s connection with the rest of the world,” said Dicle, an YPG spokesperson. “Turkey is not allowing in fighters or weapons, but they send aid at Mursitpar (border crossing). The Islamic State wants to destroy this gate so that we will be completely trapped here.” (Reuters, 18 October)

Photo credit: Smoke and flames rise over Kobane after U.S.-led airstrike against Islamic State positions in the city. The photo is taken from Muritpinar border crossing. (Reuters)    

YPG, Its Female Fighters Stopping ISIL in Kobane

The Islamic State insurgents have been stopped for now in Kobane by the Kurdish People’s Protection Unit (YPG) fighters, and ISIL militants have withdrawn overnight from several areas in the city, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights reported today.

Kobane has been under attack by nearly 10,000 Islamic State insurgents, armed with tanks and heavy artillery for nearly a month. Some 2,000 YPG fighters, without access to any heavy weaponry, countered ISIL invaders valiantly, and with the help from the U.S.-led coalition’s continued bombardment of ISIL positions at Kobane, the YPG has prevented ISIL to overrun the city for now.

Important to note that YPG ranks have been steadily filled by women fighters; and a very large percentage of the YPG fighters are women: Kobane is yet to fall, and the women fighters of YPG have a lot to do with this success.

Photo credit: A female YPG fighter; Kobane, October 2014 (inquisitor.com)

Islamic State Insurgents Reach Outskirts of Kobane

Islamic State insurgents have reached the outskirts of the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane in the early hours of Sunday, Kurdish activists reported. A fierce battle between the insurgents and the Kurdish fighters led by YPG began at around midnight local time at the southern gateway to the town. But despite U.S. airstrikes on IS positions, the insurgents apparently reached the outskirts of the town at around 2 AM on Sunday. The battle could now take place on the streets of Kobane. (Twitter/@Rodi_Khalil)

File photo: Fire and smoke rise from a building in the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane; 3 October 2114 (EPA/BBC)