By Andrew Marszal, and Louisa Loveluck, Cairo
Syrian border town of Kobani (Ayn al-Arab)
Kurds accuse Turkey of allowing Islamic State to cross border and attack key border previously secured by US air strike. Follow latest developments here. The Telegraph
• Isil reenter Kobane, scene of 4-month battle to January
• Jihadists detonate three bombs near Turkey border
• Syria claims Isil attacked from within Turkey; Turkey denies
• At least 12 dead in Kobane attack; 23 executed in nearby village
• Simultaneous Isil assault on Hasakeh in northeastern Syria
• Separate rebel groups including al-Qaeda attack Daraa in south
CCTV footage captured the moment one of this morning’s car bombs exploded. An Isil Toyota pickup truck can be seen approaching a YPG checkpoint, and then exploding.
As the fallout from today’s attacks begins, questions will be asked as to how a car rammed-full of explosive was able to infiltrate the heart of a town that was meant to have been secured.
The Kurdish militia YPG has begun to “surround” and “sweep the area” where Isil jihadists infiltrated Kobane, spokesman Rêdûr Xelîl told the Telegraph:
Today’s early morning, a group of five cars, loaded with 30-35 of Isil elements, wearing the clothes and raising the flag of the FSA [Free Syrian Army rebels] has undertaken a suicide attack.
They entered from the South and the West sides of Kobane to inside the town. In the beginning they exploded a suicide car bomb near the crossing [with Turkey] then they opened fire randomly at civilians, among them women and children.
Then they infiltrated inside to the neighborhoods. The YPG has started to surround them and sweep the area where they entered.
So far, 15 of this group were killed. Three of them managed to escape to Turkey. There are still some elements hiding inside the city.
The clashes are still going on between Isil elements and the YPG.
So far, we have no confirmed news, if this group entered Kobane though the Turkish borders or not. The primary information and the eye witnesses say that they entered from Turkey but officially we don’t have confirmed information yet.
Isil attacked a village called Barambarkh, near the area of Terreen, 20 km from Kobane. Terreen is a border Zone with Isil. In the village they are talking about 20 civilians [killed] but I don’t know for sure the credibility of this number.
After Isil has lost many strategic areas, it wants to prove to its supporters and its elements that they are still powerful and capable to do a lot of things. So that is why they attacked Kobane and the south part of Hasakeh.
It’s not easy for Isil to return back to Kobane. We are expecting some operations of that kind as we have 400 km of borders with them but it’s difficult for them to return to occupy the area.”