MURSITPINAR, Turkey (AP) — The U.N. envoy to Syria is invoking the genocides in Rwanda and the Bosnian town of Srebrenica (sreh-breh-NEET’-sah) in an appeal to world leaders to prevent another slaughter in the Syrian border town of Kobani.
Staffan de Mistura says 500 to 700 civilians are trapped there, many of them elderly. He says they will likely be “massacred” if Kobani falls to the Islamic State group.
U.S.-led airstrikes against the extremists appear to have failed to blunt their push on Kobani. Islamic State fighters have taken over most of what’s known as the “Kurdish security quarter,” where Kurdish militiamen maintain security buildings and where the police station and other local government offices are located.
A Kurdish activist inside Kobani reports heavy fighting on the town’s southern and eastern sides and says the Islamic State group has been bringing in reinforcements.
The U.N. envoy says only a small corridor remains open for people to enter or flee the town.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the Islamic State group now controls 40 percent of the town.
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146-a-18-(Staffan de Mistura (stuh-FAHN’ dee mihs-TOO’-rah), United Nations envoy to Syria, at news conference)-“self-defense operation”-The newly appointed U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, calls on Turkey to allow fighters to enter the border town of Kobani to try to protect civilians who are trapped there. (10 Oct 2014)
< 148-a-15-(Staffan de Mistura (stuh-FAHN’ dee mihs-TOO’-rah), United Nations envoy to Syria, at news conference)-“that cannot continue”-The newly appointed U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, says there must be a more robust effort to help save Kobani from falling to the extremists. ((refers to the Islamic State group as ISIL)) (10 Oct 2014) < 149-a-17-(Staffan de Mistura (stuh-FAHN’ dee mihs-TOO’-rah), United Nations envoy to Syria, at news conference)-“next? Other villages?”-The newly appointed U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, says militants are in danger of gaining control of a large section of the Turkey-Syria border region. (10 Oct 2014) < 147-a-20-(Staffan de Mistura (stuh-FAHN’ dee mihs-TOO’-rah), United Nations envoy to Syria ((note cut length)), at news conference)-“advance of ISIL”-The newly appointed U.N. envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura, calls on Turkey to help save the beleagured Syrian city of Kobani from falling to the extremists. ((refers to the Islamic State group as ISIL)) (10 Oct 2014) < APPHOTO AXLP102: Heavy smoke from a fire caused by a military strike rises in Kobani, Syria, as fighting intensified between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group, seen from Mursitpinar in the outskirts of Suruc, Turkey, at the Turkey-Syria border, Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab, and its surrounding areas, has been under assault by extremists of the Islamic State group since mid-September and is being defended by Kurdish fighters. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (10 Oct 2014) < APPHOTO AXLP115: Turkish forces armoured vehicles, bottom, patrol the border road in Mursitpinar, in the outskirts of Suruc, Turkey, on the Turkey-Syria border, while smoke from fires caused by military strikes rise over Kobani inside Syria, as fighting between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group intensified, Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab, and its surrounding areas, has been under assault by extremists of the Islamic State group since mid-September and is being defended by Kurdish fighters. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (10 Oct 2014) < APPHOTO AXLP101: Heavy smoke from a fire caused by a strike rises in Kobani, Syria as fighting intensified between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group, as seen from Mursitpinar in the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab, and its surrounding areas, has been under assault by extremists of the Islamic State group since mid-September and is being defended by Kurdish fighters. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (10 Oct 2014) < Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.