US President Barack Obama will discuss combating Islamic State (IS) with leaders of Germany, the UK, France and Italy. On Tuesday evening President Obama said the battle against IS would be a long-term one.
“This is going to be a long-term campaign. There are not quick fixes involved, we’re still at the early stages.
“As with any military effort, there will be days of progress and there are going to be periods of setback, but our coalition is united behind this long-term effort,” President Obama said.
IS forces are currently fighting Kurdish forces for control of the northern Syrian town of Kobane, on the border with Turkey. It is a potentially highly significant battle, as it will test the capability of the coalition air power to halt the advance of the Islamic militants, while also offering a major strategic advantage to IS in the event the city should fall.
The US-led coalition has intensified its bombing campaign against IS, attacking the groups fighters that surround the town.
Kurdish fighters yesterday said that recently captured a strategically important hilltop west of the city. The advance came following a US announcement of 21 airstrikes aimed at slowing the IS advance near the town.
The hill, Tall Shair hill, had previously been captured 10 days ago by IS fighters.
The Ebola epidemic will also be on the agenda during the video conference call between the world leaders.
The BBC reports that Syrian rebel fighters backed by the west have warned the coalition bombing campaign could turn Syrian people against the West. The rebels have warned the attacks on IS are facing a public backlash due to the deaths of civilians.
It has emerged that the Syrian rebels, some funded and equipped by western nations, were not aware the coalition bombing campaign was to commence on September 23.
The Syrian groups fighting Bashar Al-Assad and IS have made repeated pleas for better funding and immediate assistance through arms and supplies, saying the fight against IS cannot be won through air power alone.
"There is a lot of concern," says Adam Kinzinger, a US Congressman who has been meeting rebel commanders in Turkey to try to bring about better co-ordination between disparate brigades.
“Sure, [IS] is their enemy and they want to crush them - but they see the biggest enemy as Assad.
“Another area they have a as a lot of concern is – at least as of yet - there hasn't been a lot of communication between our air strikes and where they are on the ground... They are almost as surprised about the strikes as [IS]."
