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Kurdish official appeals for weapons for Kobani

Members of the media talk with a Turkish soldier, left, on a hilltop on the outskirts of Suaruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, overlooking Kobani, Syria, background, during fighting between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group, Wedesday, Oct. 15, 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) Members of the media talk with a Turkish soldier, left, on a hilltop on the outskirts of Suaruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, overlooking Kobani, Syria, background, during fighting between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group, Wedesday, Oct. 15, 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)

By Associated Press October 16, 2014 1 min read

MURSITPINAR, Turkey (AP) – A Syrian Kurdish official is calling on the international community to allow weapons into the border town of Kobani for the fight against Islamic State militants.

Idriss Nassan, deputy head of Kobani’s foreign relations committee, says the Islamic State group can bring in reinforcements and weapons at any time and endanger the town near Turkey. He said airstrikes by the U.S.-led coalition are not enough.

Nassan’s comments on Thursday came a day after the Pentagon spokesman said Kobani remains in danger of falling to the Islamic State fighters.

Kirby said two weeks of airstrikes have killed hundreds of Islamic State fighters, and have stiffened Kobani’s defenders.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the death toll since the Islamic State offensive began in mid-September has reached more than 660.