Syrian Kurds advance in heart of Kobani — monitor

BEIRUT — Syrian Kurds fighting the Islamic State group in the flashpoint town of Kobani made new gains Tuesday, expelling the jihadists from several central buildings and seizing weapons, a monitor said.

The advance came hours after the US-led coalition launched four strikes against IS positions in central Kobani, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) staged a "special operation" during which they captured six buildings used by IS, said the Britain-based group, which relies on a network of sources in Syria.

Thirteen IS fighters were killed, it said.

The Kurds "captured a large amount of weapons and ammunition, including RPG (rocket-propelled grenade) rounds, light weapons, sniper guns and thousands of heavy machine gun rounds," the observatory said.

The US and Arab allies began strikes against jihadist positions in Syria in late September, days after IS launched its assault on Kobani.

Some 1,200 people, mainly fighters, have been killed in the battle for the town on the border with Turkey.

Kobani has become a major symbol of resistance against IS, which has committed widespread atrocities and imposed its harsh interpretation of Islamic Sharia law in areas under its control.

Last month, the United States and Turkey warned that the town was teetering on the brink, but analysts say there have been signs the tide is beginning to turn in favour of its Kurdish defenders.

Highly motivated Syrian Kurdish troops are fighting alongside Iraqi peshmerga forces and Syrian rebels that have reinforced the town's defences, backed by US-led strikes on IS positions.

The multi-sided Syrian war has killed more than 195,000 people and forced millions from their homes since it began three and a half years ago as an uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime.

On Tuesday, at least 13 civilians, including two children, were killed in regime air strikes on a rebel-held area further west in Aleppo province, the observatory said.

The strikes came hours after 14 other civilians were killed on Monday night in Al Bab, an IS-controlled town in the same province, it added.