The Islamic State (IS) has taken control over many of the towns and villages in the western countryside of Kobani, or Ain al-Arab, including Bayada, Zor Maghar and al-Ziara.
The operation began when IS forces launched an attack from Jarablus toward the countryside of Ain al-Arab in order to control it. Heavy fighting is still going on in those Kurdish-held areas.
According to activists, IS fighters have committed many massacres against the people in the attacked villages and killed dozens of people there, among them Mayil al-Omar, Bahaa Goran, Ibrahim Ramaqaloy, Jazaer al-Jazaeri and his wife, Marwan al-Jazaeri, Ahmed Sheikh Ibrahim, and Mustafa Sheikh Ibrahim.
IS fighters burned several houses, including the house of Mustafa Mohammed Shekho, also stealing everything they could, including cars, foods and money. All the stolen items were transferred to the high school in Jarablus.
Activist Adnan Hussein of Jarablus said the names circulated of dead people from the villages of Bayada, Zor Maghar and az-Ziara are those of fighters in the ranks of Kurdish militants killed during the clashes.
Jarablus Akhbar Network page and Facebook activists said that tremendous reinforcements of fighters and weapons had arrived in Jarablus, which enabled IS to launch such an attack and expand control in the countryside of Kobani.
An exchange deal was completed between the forces of the Kurdish parties in Kobani and IS days ago. According to the deal, Kurdish parties released three IS militants captured earlier, while IS released fifteen Kurdish students abducted by IS upon their return from the city of Aleppo after their exams.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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