Turkish action against IS in Syria 'unrealistic'

Turkey's foreign minister says it cannot be
expected to lead a ground operation
against Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria
on its own.
Mevlut Cavusoglu also called for the creation
of a no-fly zone over its border with Syria
after talks in Ankara with new Nato chief Jens
Stoltenberg.
Turkey is under intense pressure to do more to
help Kurdish forces fighting IS in the strategic
Syrian town of Kobane.
Activists say IS now controls about a third of
Kobane after fierce fighting.
Monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, quoting "reliable sources", said
IS was advancing towards the centre of the
town from eastern districts.
Director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP news
agency that a Kurdish militia leader and several
of his men were killed when jihadists overran
their base in the north-east of the town.
The observatory said 42 IS fighters died in
Kobane on Wednesday, including 23 in US-led
coalition air strikes. Kurdish forces lost 15
fighters, the group said.
Air strikes continued overnight and into
Thursday morning. Plumes of smoke could be
seen rising over the town, also known as Ayn
al-Arab.
Earlier, a Kurdish leader in Kobane said IS had
entered two more districts overnight, bringing
in heavy weapons.
Turkey has stationed tanks along its border
overlooking the town, but has made no move
to intervene.
Mr Cavusoglu was holding talks with Mr
Stoltenberg and US envoys on possible Turkish
action against IS.
"It is not realistic to expect Turkey to conduct
a ground operation on its own," he told a news
conference.
"We are holding talks. Once there is a common
decision, Turkey will not hold back from
playing its part."
Turkey clashes
The US is leading an international coalition
against IS after the group seized swathes of
territory in Syria and Iraq, which both share a
border with Turkey.
Turkey remains wary of getting involved, partly
because it is concerned about arming the
Kurdish forces who are fighting the militants.
Turkey has fought a long civil war with its
Kurdish minority.
Pro-Kurdish protesters demanding Turkish
intervention have clashed with police in several
cities over recent days, leaving at least 12
people dead.
There was further fighting in Istanbul on
Wednesday night with protesters hurling petrol
bombs at police, who responded with water
cannon and tear gas.
However, the government did win
parliamentary authorisation for possible
military action last week.
The motion provides a legal framework for the
Turkish military to launch incursions into Syria
and Iraq against militants who threaten Turkey.
It also allows for foreign troops to be
stationed in Turkey as part of the same
campaign.Turkey - a Nato member - wants the creation
of a border zone or safe haven enforced by a
no-fly zone along the Syrian side of its border
to stop militants moving across and to ease the
influx of refugees into Turkey.
France supports the idea but the White House
has said it is "not something that is under
consideration right now".
Mr Stoltenberg, speaking in Ankara, said the
setting up of a no-fly zone or buffer zone
inside Syria has not been discussed by Nato.
The US Central Command said late on
Wednesday that eight coalition air strikes had
hit targets in Kobane. It said five IS armed
vehicles, an IS supply depot and other
buildings had been destroyed.
But Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm John Kirby
warned that "air strikes alone are not going to
save the town of Kobane. We know that and
we've been saying that over and over again".
He said that ultimately rebel fighters in Syria
and Iraqi troops would have to defeat IS
militants, but it would take time.
Similar views were expressed by British Foreign
Secretary Philip Hammond.
As the battle for Kobane intensified, Asya
Abdullah, a co-leader of the Kurdish
Democratic Union Party (PYD)representing
Syrian Kurds in Kobane, said that on
Wednesday night IS entered two districts of
Kobane with heavy weapons, including tanks.
"Civilians may have died because there are
very intense clashes," she said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
earlier said IS was bringing in reinforcements
from its stronghold in Raqqa province.