Alwaght-According to the New York Times, for the first time, Peshmerga forces from Iraqi Kurdistan have moved to join fighting against ISIS terrorist group besieging Syrian Kurdish city of Kobani, taking advantage of Turkey’s decision to open its borders to reinforcements.
About 150 Peshmerga fighters were expected to arrive near Kobani as early as Tuesday night, joining a battle that has stretched for more than a month, despite continued air strikes by American-led military coalition against ISIS terrorist group.
The arrival of the Peshmerga had been expected for more than a week, after Turkey announced that it would let Iraqi fighters across the border. The cause of this delay is unclear, but Kurdish officials in Kobani had initially seemed cool to the idea of outside forces entering the city.
They insisted that their own fighters, who serve with Kurdish People’s Protection Units or Y.P.G., could defend Kobani, if they were provided with arms and ammunition. They suggested that the additional fighters, including those serving with units of the anti-government Free Syrian Army, could open up other fronts against ISIS terrorist group.
Later, the officials blamed Turkey for the delay. However, Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, denied that his government was blocking the entrance of the fighters.
Roads in Iraqi Kurdistan were lined with cheering residents as a convoy of dozens of Peshmerga fighters, along with artillery pieces, rocket launchers, and heavy machine guns left a base outside Erbil on its way to Turkish border. Another contingent of fighters flew to Turkey from Erbil, the regional capital, officials said.
Although the Peshmerga will serve under their own commanders in Kobani, their entry into the battle offers a moment of unity among rival Kurdish factions. It remains to be seen, though, whether the reinforcements can shift the momentum in a fight that has become a crucible in the broader war between American-led coalition and ISIS terrorist group.
