Kurds Take Kobani – What’s Next?

On January 26^th, Kurdish resistance fighters ousted Islamic State fighters from the northern Syrian city of Kobani, a day after the Iraqi military retook Diyala province. However, Kurdish officials note that the city of Kobani is almost completely devastated. Immediately after their victory in Kobani, the Kurdish forces continued their offensive in order to capture surrounding villages held by Islamic State fighters. As of Tuesday Kurdish militia captured the villages of Qarah Hlanj and Helnjey, and have engaged Islamic State militants in the village of Shiran. Sources on Twitter state that fighting has resumed in villages surrounding Kobani as YPG troops engage Islamic State fighters. Islamic State sources have gone into full damage control on Twitter, claiming that Kobani was strategically unimportant, stating that Western airpower was the only factor in their defeat, or that the battle is still ongoing.

Whole crusade world, artillery, planes were behind cowards Kurd, it is no doubt a greater victory to keep Kurds on back foot 4 many months

— Islamic State Dawah (@ISnews223) January 26, 2015

1.With all this hoo haa bout #islamicstate loosing #Kobane, not that I believe the rubbish but to make a point: there’s a thing called war &

— Abu Abdullah Britani (@seekingjannah2) January 28, 2015

2. There’s a thing called battles, you may win some batttles & you may loose some battles. But loosing a battle don’t mean you lost the war — Abu Abdullah Britani (@seekingjannah2) January 28, 2015

disbelievers finally realizes victory in kobane non strategic area is no victory #IslamicState https://t.co/4bOXcWPLZ9
— Islamic State Dawah (@ISnews223) January 28, 2015

Though it is unlikely the loss of Kobani will seriously cripple the Islamic State, the losses of men and materiel during the battle will certainly hamper their operations. While the U.S. had originally been reluctant to attach significance to the town,  US and other allied airstrikes supporting the Kurdish fighters on the ground seems to have made the difference.