Turkey action in Syria 'unrealistic'

Written By Unknown on Kamis, 09 Oktober 2014 | 18.20

9 October 2014 Last updated at 11:57

Turkey's foreign minister says it cannot be expected to lead a ground operation against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria on its own.

Mevlut Cavusoglu also called for the creation of a no-fly zone over its border with Syria after talks in Ankara with new Nato chief Jens Stoltenberg.

Turkey is under intense pressure to do more to help Kurdish forces fighting IS in the strategic Syrian town of Kobane.

Activists say IS now controls about a third of Kobane after fierce fighting.

Monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, quoting "reliable sources", said IS was advancing towards the centre of the town from eastern districts.

Director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP news agency that a Kurdish militia leader and several of his men were killed when jihadists overran their base in the north-east of the town.

The observatory said 42 IS fighters died in Kobane on Wednesday, including 23 in US-led coalition air strikes. Kurdish forces lost 15 fighters, the group said.

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu

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Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said a no-fly zone was important for humanitarian reasons

Air strikes continued overnight and into Thursday morning. Plumes of smoke could be seen rising over the town, also known as Ayn al-Arab.

Earlier, a Kurdish leader in Kobane said IS had entered two more districts overnight, bringing in heavy weapons.

Turkey has stationed tanks along its border overlooking the town, but has made no move to intervene.

Mr Cavusoglu was holding talks with Mr Stoltenberg and US envoys on possible Turkish action against IS.

"It is not realistic to expect Turkey to conduct a ground operation on its own," he told a news conference.

"We are holding talks. Once there is a common decision, Turkey will not hold back from playing its part."

Turkey clashes

The US is leading an international coalition against IS after the group seized swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq, which both share a border with Turkey.

Turkey remains wary of getting involved, partly because it is concerned about arming the Kurdish forces who are fighting the militants. Turkey has fought a long civil war with its Kurdish minority.

Pro-Kurdish protesters demanding Turkish intervention have clashed with police in several cities over recent days, leaving at least 12 people dead.

There was further fighting in Istanbul on Wednesday night with protesters hurling petrol bombs at police, who responded with water cannon and tear gas.

However, the government did win parliamentary authorisation for possible military action last week.

The motion provides a legal framework for the Turkish military to launch incursions into Syria and Iraq against militants who threaten Turkey. It also allows for foreign troops to be stationed in Turkey as part of the same campaign.

Turkey - a Nato member - wants the creation of a border zone or safe haven enforced by a no-fly zone along the Syrian side of its border to stop militants moving across and to ease the influx of refugees into Turkey.

France supports the idea but the White House has said it is "not something that is under consideration right now".

Mr Stoltenberg, speaking in Ankara, said the setting up of a no-fly zone or buffer zone inside Syria has not been discussed by Nato.

The US Central Command said late on Wednesday that eight coalition air strikes had hit targets in Kobane. It said five IS armed vehicles, an IS supply depot and other buildings had been destroyed.

A protester throws stones at an armoured army vehicle during a pro-Kurdish demonstration

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Turkey's complicated relationship with the Kurds explained

But Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm John Kirby warned that "air strikes alone are not going to save the town of Kobane. We know that and we've been saying that over and over again".

He said that ultimately rebel fighters in Syria and Iraqi troops would have to defeat IS militants, but it would take time.

Similar views were expressed by British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond.

Jim Muir in bombed building

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Jim Muir visits the Iraq-Syria border town of Rabia, to see the damage inflicted by air strikes and IS suicide bombers

As the battle for Kobane intensified, Asya Abdullah, a co-leader of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD)representing Syrian Kurds in Kobane, said that on Wednesday night IS entered two districts of Kobane with heavy weapons, including tanks.

"Civilians may have died because there are very intense clashes," she said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights earlier said IS was bringing in reinforcements from its stronghold in Raqqa province.


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