Kurds fighting Islamic State (IS) in the Syrian town of Kobane have received US weapons and medical aid, the Pentagon says.

The move comes against the backdrop of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's declarations over the weekend that Ankara would not allow Washington to supply the Kurds with arms.

US Central Command said in a statement deliveries made by C-130 transport aircraft are designed to enable resistance against the town of Kobane, which many are still worried could fall to IS.

Officials believe the air strikes, combined with "continued resistance to ISIL on the ground" killed hunreds of fighters and destroyed or damaged pieces of ISIL combat equipment and fighting positions."

Though Turkey voted earlier in October to allow its soldiers to put boots on the ground in both Iraq and Syria to prevent a major offensive of IS, no action has been taken further than deploying tanks and armored vehicles along the common borders.

Ankara has also stopped short of helping Kurds fighting IS, claiming they are not different from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), perceived as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the US. Last week the Turkish military also carried out strikes on the PKK, marking the first spark of tensions since Erdogan and the organization's jailed leader Abdullah Ocalan agreed on peace, with Ocalan calling on his supporters to lay down arms.

US President Barack Obama held phone conversation with Erdogan early on Sunday, according to the White House's press office.

The two reportedly agreed to work together against the militants, but Erdogan made clear no-one should expect from his country to allow arms deliveries to the Syrian Kurds.

Kobane has seen some of the fiercest fighting in the past months as Iraq and the West are seeking to stop the expansion of IS, a Sunni militant group that controls terrotories in Iraq and Syria.

Earlier Germany sent military equipment to Kurdish fighters in Iraq.

Australia is, as of Monday, officially involved in the fight against the Sunni extremists, sending 200 troops to help the Iraqi forces.
 

We need your support so Novinite.com can keep delivering news and information about Bulgaria! Thank you!