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THE UNITED STATES has warned that air strikes alone will not stop Islamic State fighters from capturing Kobane, a town on the border of Syria and Turkey.
Rear Admiral John Kirby told AFP: “Air strikes alone are not going to do this, not going to fix this, not going to save the town of Kobane.”
Kirby said that “capable” ground forces – rebel fighters in Syria and Iraqi Government troops – would have to defeat IS.
Militants advanced further into the strategic town today, despite intensified US-led air strikes.
US officials said that coalition air strikes have destroyed an armoured personnel carrier, artillery and several vehicles belonging to IS.
At least 19 people have been killed in Turkey in violent protests by pro-Kurdish demonstrators angry at the government’s lack of action against IS fighters in Syria.
For the first time in more than two decades, a curfew was declared in six Turkish provinces after the unrest.
In Germany, police used batons, pepper spray and water cannon as Kurds and Yazidis clashed with radical Muslims in two northern cities in violence that injured at least 23 people.
Kobane has become a symbol of resistance against IS, which proclaimed an Islamic “caliphate” across swathes of Iraq and Syria.
Last Friday, the militant group released footage of one of their members beheading UK aid worker Alan Henning.
The three-week assault on Kobane has sent some 200,000 people flooding across the border into Turkey.
Activist Mustafa Ebdi told AFP: ”There are 1,000 civilians who refuse to leave.”
“One of them, aged 65, said to me: “Where would we go? Dying here is better than dying on the road.’”
An IS fighter carried out a suicide truck bombing in east Kobane today, but there was no immediate news of casualties, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Observatory says about 400 people, more than half of them jihadists, have been killed in and around Kobane since the assault began in mid-September.
More than 180,000 people have been killed in Syria since an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime began in 2011, morphing into a several-sided civil war that has drawn thousands of jihadists from overseas.
Additional reporting: Órla Ryan
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He didn’t look too happy to see Kathryn
That ban gardai looks up for it……
Phwoar!
Poor bast*** had every culchie in the county trying to get a selfie. Must be head wrecking.
Kathryn broke wind.
It would seem I have been misusing the phrase “up in arms”… I didn’t realise it meant generally happy.
*up in arms 1. Fig. in armed rebellion. (*Typically: be ~; get ~.) The entire population is up in arms. They are up in arms, ready to fight. 2. Fig. very angry. (Fig. on {2}, but without weapons. *Typically: be ~; get ~.) Wally was up in arms about the bill for the broken window. I am really up in arms about what happened. No misuse occurred…on your part.
Grammar Ally
It might look harmless but do you know how distracting it is trying to do your job when dozens of beautiful women want to meet out and take selfies. It’s not easy being Tweety.
Haha… Will ya go on out of that !!. If it was raining boobies you would end up sucking your thumb ;)
Love how Le Blanc is just looking the other way in the selfie with Kathryn Thomas :)
Don’t generally get off on this type of stuff but that looks like great fun.
Some great selfies. (Did I just say that – Jesus what’s wrong with me)
Kenmare is a great town.
Valerie, look up the meaning of ‘up in arms’
Totally wrong use of “up in arms”. It indicates anger, not appreciation!
Should be “welcomed with open arms” rather than “up in arms”!
I’d say he’s knee deep in clunge
Irish people must be the most gullible,arse licking people on the planet.Makes me sick,especially women…so naive and pretentious…lol
Why were they not immediately introduced to the Healy-Rae’s?
F€ck sake…. That Kathryn Thomas wan just has to get her mug in everywhere….and it’s not even an RTE production.
The new top gear will be terrible. Looking forward to what amazon are going to do with jeremy and co.
Cork me ass. The dirtiest hole in Ireland (Genus McCullough, circa 1988).
Kerry is a shite hole of a place,, they should of come to cork
Maybe Kerry people would know the difference between “Of” and “Have”.
Matt Le Joey should of used his hand double with Cathryn
Cork me arse. The dirtiest hole in Ireland (Genus McCullough, circa 1988).
I call that “Kenmare Style”
‘I call that “Kenmare Style”‘
I call that “Kenmare Style”
Cork with a small c !
I call that “Kenmare Style”
I see they STILL haven’t fixed that ‘up in arms’ headline!
“Up in arms”. Cambridge dictionary definition: “to be very angry.”
Did they not teach you that in writin’ skool?
Kerry people will be up in arms with that headline.
Kenmare Shtyle more like… they’re easy pleased…if I saw him id keep walking.
I call that “Kenmare Style”
God bless the labourers , mentality and actuality. Pity the gravedigger for both rich and poor.
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