For the past four weeks, ISIS has advanced on the Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani. Nearly 180,000 of the area’s mostly Kurdish inhabitants were forced to flee into Turkey, which has refused to intervene. In Turkey, decades of tension with the Kurdish minority has erupted into protests and violent clashes across the country, resulting in at least 12 deaths. The groups are demanding that the government do more to protect Kobani.
Here, smoke from shelling rises from the Syrian town of Ain al-Arab, known as Kobane by the Kurds, as it seen from the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern village of Mursitpinar, Sanliurfa province, on October 13, 2014.
Turkish Kurds watch the Syrian town of Kobani from near the Mursitpinar border crossing, on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province.
A woman sits at the border area as smoke rises from Kobani.
Smoke rises from Kobani.
Umit Bektas/Reuters
A street vendor sells simit, Turkish traditional bagel, as Turkish Kurds watch the Syrian town of Kobani from near the Mursitpinar border crossing, on the Turkish-Syrian border.
Umit Bektas/Reuters
The smoke rises in the air at a Kurdish town on the Syrian border as the U.S. and coalition forces make airstrikes on the key positions of ISIS allowing Kurdish troops to reclaim much lost territory.
Smoke can be seen rising after the air raid.
Murad Sezer / Reuters
Turkish soldiers in armored vehicles patrol the streets of Diyarbakir after violent clashes that have resulted in at least 12 deaths.
Reuters
Army tanks take position on the Turkish side of Kobani's border as smoke rises from city central.
Umit Bektas / Reuters
An Islamic State fighter gestures from a vehicle in the countryside of Kobani after the ISIS fighters took control of the area on Tuesday.
Reuters
Turkish soldiers stand guard as protesters run away from tear gas during a pro-Kurdish demonstration. They stood in solidarity with the people of Kobani who retreated into nearby Sanliurfa, Turkey, as Islamic State fighters forced them to flee.
Getty
Newly arrived Syrian Kurdish refugees walk with their belongings after crossing into Turkey.
Getty
A Turkish soldier near the town of Suruc carries a Syrian Kurdish refugee baby from Kobani.
Murad Sezer / Reuters
Kurdish refugees from Kobani sit in front of their tents in a camp in the southeastern town of Suruc, Sanliurfa.
Umit Bektas / Reuters
