Kurdish people have blockaded airports and held protests across Europe, demonstrating for military assistance to Kurdish fighters in Kobane, as Islamic State militants advanced into the eastern Kurdish Syrian town of Kobane on Monday night, reported a Syrian monitoring group.
"There were clashes overnight. Not heavy but ISIS is going forward from the southwest. They have crossed into Kobani and control some buildings in the city there," said the head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, Rami Abdulrahman.
Kobane, a border town between south west Syria and Turkey, has been under seige for several days as Islamic State militants advanced from three sides.
On Tuesday, reports from across the border in Turkey said that IS flags could be seen in the eastern side of Kobane. See here.
The battle between Kurds trying to protect the strategically important town and IS militants has become "urban guerrilla warfare" said Abdulrahman.
Hundreds of Kurds from Turkey have crossed the border to join Kurdish fighters.
On Monday, a commander in the Kurdish military's all female YPJ unit, Dilar Gencxemis (nom de guerre - Arin Mirkan) blew herself up, killing several IS fighters. She has been hailed a hero by Kurds across the world.
“If necessary, all YPG fighters will follow her example, and the gangs will not be allowed to achieve their aim of taking Kobani,” the YPG, the Kurdish all male military unit, said in a statement published by the Kurdish news agency, Firat.
Meanwhile, the United States launched low flying Apache helicopters this week in response to the IS advance, reports The Times.
Kurds call for action
Kurdish people across Europe have launched demonstrations and protests, calling for action to stop the relentless advance of IS into Kobane.
In the Netherlands, Kurds stormed the Dutch parliament and besieged the airport in protest, whilst hunger strikes and blockades have occurred across London. See here.
Protests have also taken place in Rome, Cologne, Brussels, Vienna, and Stockholm.
Clashes have also broken out in Turkey between Kurdish protesters and Turkish police, as Kurds accused Turkey of supporting the IS advance into Kurdish Syrian territories, despite publicly endorsing the US led military action against IS.
Turkish police have used tear gas and water cannons to clear protesters.
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