Iraqi Kurds Battle ISIS in Kobani

Iraqi Kurdish fighters have joined the fight against ISIS militants in Kobani, in a bid to prevent the ultra-hardline group from seizing the Syrian border town. Heavy clashes erupted in Kobani between the peshmerga fighters and ISIS jihadists, with both sides suffering heavy casualties, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A top official in Kobani district said the Kurdish fighters used long-range artillery against ISIS and “made a big difference.” The arrival of the peshmerga marks the first time Turkey has allowed troops from outside Syria to reinforce Syrian Kurds, who have been defending Kobani for more than 40 days. Meanwhile, the U.S. said it carried out more raids against ISIS over the weekend.