The Battle For Kobane -- News Updates October 31, 2014

An explosion following an air-strike is seen in 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 October 29, 2014. Credit: Reuters/Yannis Behrakis

Air Strikes Hit Kobani As Kurdish Peshmerga Prepare To Enter -- Reuters

(Reuters) - U.S.-led air strikes hit Islamic State positions around the Syrian border town of Kobani on Friday in an apparent bid to pave the way for heavily-armed Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga forces to enter from neighboring Turkey.

The predominantly Kurdish town, besieged for more than 40 days, has become the focus of a global war against the Sunni Muslim insurgents, who have captured expanses of Iraq and Syria and declared an Islamic "caliphate" straddling the two.

Its fighters have killed or driven away Shi'ite Muslims, Christians and other communities who do not share their ultra-radical brand of Sunni Islam. They executed at least 220 Iraqis in retaliation against opposition to their takeover of territory west of Baghdad this week.

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The Battle For Kobane -- News Updates October 31, 2014

ISIL shells Kobane's border post with Turkey -- Al Jazeera
Kurdish Peshmerga Fighters Prepare Entry Strategy for Kobani -- Bloomberg
Syria IS: Iraqi Peshmerga fighters 'enter Kobane' -- BBC
Syrian rebels join battle to protect Kobane -- Al Jazeera
Peshmerga Fighters Leave Kobani to Return Later -- AP
Peshmerga forces delayed in Turkey en route to fight Isis in Kobani -- The Guardian
Syrian Free Army column enters Kobane ahead of Iraqi Peshmerga -- The Australian
Syrian regime denounces Turkey for allowing foreign fighters to enter Kobane -- Washington Post
Syria blasts Turkey for allowing Iraqi Kurdish fighters safe passage to Kobani -- RT
President Barzani: Kobane will not fall to terrorists -- Rudaw
U.S. Gen. Allen: Kobane unlikely to fall to ISIS -- Al Arabiya
A Town Shouldn’t Fight the Islamic State Alone -- Meysa Abdo, NYT