An imminent all-out victory for Kurdish forces over Islamic State (IS) militants in Kobani is an unlikely scenario. However, there are signs that the extremist group is facing some difficulties in the northern Syrian town. This is likely because U.S.-led airstrikes are helping to render one of the main military tactics IS has relied on in other offensives — sending in wave after wave of eager militants regardless of casualty numbers — ineffective and even damaging, given that what has been termed the “Kurdish Stalingrad” has turned into a long drawn-out battle.
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