MOSCOW, January 25 (Sputnik) — Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) together with Iraqi Kurdistan's Peshmerga forces regained control over 90 percent of the city of Kobani in Syria, fighting off Islamic State (IS) militants, Col. Deham Ibrahim Gergeri of Peshmerga forces told Sputnik on Sunday.
"Yesterday, Kurdish People's Protection Units in Syria regained control of two villages in southern Kobani, situated along the road leading to Aleppo," Gergeri said. "[YPG fighters] make advances along the whole of the front line. At the moment our forces control 90 percent of the city and some territories outside of it. The enemy is retreating."
Kobani, one of the largest cities in the Kurdish region bordering Turkey, was besieged by the Islamic State extremist group in September. Since then, Kurdish forces, backed by the US-led airstrikes on IS positions, have been trying to drive the extremists out of the city.
In December 2014, Syrian Kurds leader Saleh Muslim Mohammad said that the main goal of Kurdish forces fighting against Islamic State was full liberation of Kobani. Turkey is said to be hosting more than 190,000 refugees from Kobani.
