By Hawar Ismaeil
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - A top Syrian Kurdish official says the weeks-long Islamic State (ISIS) siege of Kobane could be broken if weapons and ammunitions supplies to the Kurdish fighters continue.
Asia Abdulla, co-leader of the Kurdish Democratic Unity Party (PYD) that is the main force in Syrian Kurdistan, reported heavy fighting in the eastern part of the beleaguered city, following an ISIS reinforcement of troops.
“They’ve brought gunmen from everywhere to fight in Kobane,” Asia told Rudaw. “We urgently need a safe corridor in and out of the city if we are to push the ISIS back from the eastern parts of the town.”
Asia said that despite repeated calls for weapons over the past year, only Kurdistan’s Peshmerga forces had rushed to their with much needed arms.
“We have knocked on many doors for weapons and ammunition,” she said. “But only the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) came to our help. Except for the KRG, we have not received anything from anyone.”
Asia said the arrival of the Peshmerga forces to Kobane with heavy weapons has been “important."
“The Peshmerga are fighting the militant Islamists shoulder-to-shoulder with our forces,” she said.
“If the supply of weapons continues, we are able to push back and ultimately defeat ISIS, she added.
The Peshmerga, who entered Kobane overnight Saturday with heavy weapons, are the first foreign forces fighting alongside the city’s Syrian defenders, who have held out against an ISIS push to overrun the city for six weeks.
Kurdistan has promised more fighters and weapons if needed.
The fighters in Kobane have been backed by US-led airstrikes against ISIS positions.
