MURSITPINAR (Turkey): Kurds battling the ‘Islamic Sate’ group’s militants for the Syrian border town of Kobane welcomed a first US airdrop of weapons on Monday as neighbouring Turkey said it would help Iraqi Kurds to join the fight.

Turkish government has refused land deliveries of arms to the Syrian Kurds, who are linked with Turkey’s outlawed rebel Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), but said it was helping Iraqi Kurds to reinforce the strategic town.

Also read: Turkey helping Kurdish fighters cross into Kobani

The main Syrian Kurdish fighting force in Kobane hailed the airdrop, saying it would “help greatly” in the town’s defence against a nearly five-week offensive by the IS.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said it would have been “irresponsible of us, as well as morally very difficult, to turn your back on a community fighting” the group.

The top US diplomat said the situation amounted to a “crisis moment” and insisted the move was not a shift in policy.

He echoed remarks by a senior administration official that the airdrop was in recognition of the “impressive” resistance put up by the Kurds and the losses they were inflicting on the IS.

The Unites States government’s hope was that “Kurds who have proven themselves to be very strong and valiant fighters will take this fight on,” Mr Kerry said.

Three C-130 cargo aircraft carried out what the US military called “multiple” successful drops of supplies, including small arms, provided by Kurdish authorities in Iraq.

The supplies were “intended to enable continued resistance” against the IS in Kobane, said the Central Command, which oversees American forces in the Middle East.

A US-led coalition has carried out more than 135 air strikes against IS targets around Kobane, and an AFP correspondent just across the border in Turkey reported a fresh raid on Monday afternoon.

The main Syrian Kurdish fighting force in Kobane, the People’s Protection Units, welcomed the US arms drop.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2014