Turkey relents, allows some Kurdish forces to defend Kobane

Special to WorldTribune.com

ANKARA — Turkey has allowed Kurdish forces to enter Syria to save a northern enclave from Islamic State of Iraq and Levant.

On Oct. 29, an 80-vehicle convoy by Kurdistan’s military entered Turkey and hours later reached the border with the Syrian town of Kobane. The convoy was joined by Kurdish troops who flew to Turkey’s Sanliurfa Airport.

KobaneMap“They can cross at any moment,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Turkey has significantly reduced the Kurdish force assigned to save Kobane from ISIL. During a week of negotiations, Ankara brought the number of Iraqi Kurdish troops allowed to enter Turkey from 2,000 to 150.

The Turkish military also rejected a request by the Kurdish Regional Government to transport main battle tanks and artillery in Kobane.

Officials said Kurdish forces would be equipped with nothing heavier than rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.

Officials said the Turkish Army has not overseen the passage of KRG forces. They said the operation was assigned to the National Intelligence Agency, deemed close to President Recep Erdogan.

Source Article from http://www.worldtribune.com/2014/10/30/turkey-relents-allows-kurdish-forces-defend-kobane/

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