KOBANE - The Islamic State (ISIS) is retreating from around the town of Kobane without resistance and Kurdish forces are in control of 42 surrounding villages, Rudaw’s reporter said from the border.
“The advance of the Kurdish forces to retake control of villages (around Kobane) continues and a number of villages are empty of ISIS fighters. They withdrew from the villages without resistance,” Omer Kalo reported from the Syrian-Turkish border.
The US military declared that coalition forces have conducted nine airstrikes, targeting eight large and smaller ISIS tactical units and destroyed six staging areas and a vehicle operated by the insurgents.
The US has reaffirmed its support for Kobane after the town’s Kurdish defenders – the People’s Protection Units (YPG) and the Peshmerga – ejected ISIS following a four-month siege.
Kalo said that ISIS is in disarray and has lost morale in the Kobane area. They have left many dead bodies behind, including of Turkish and African fighters.
In the meantime, returning residents of Kobane called on the European Union and the United States to help in rebuilding the town and removing the bodies of ISIS fighters buried in the debris of the buildings. Hundreds of dead ISIS fighters are estimated to be under the destroyed buildings.
Locals warned Rudaw that if the bodies are not removed soon they will pose health and environmental hazards for people.
US and coalition partners have conducted over 700 airstrikes in and around Kobane against ISIS in the last several months, enabling the Kurdish forces to clear the town from fighters.
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