<nats of fighting> THE SYRIAN BORDER TOWN OF KOBANI IS UNDER ATTACK FROM THE ISLAMIC STATE, WITH A LIMITED FORCE STANDING IN DEFENSE. <SOUNDBITE> AP - 2028550 (English) Brian Wilson, from US who joined YPG fighters: (OCT 19)> They are brave fighters. They just need more help. THE UNEASY ALLIANCE THAT’S IN PLACE TO HELP: FROM THE U.S. TO KURDISH GROUPS TO TURKEY. NOW ON THE NEW YORK TIMES MINUTE. //GRAPHIC// <NATS FROM A US AIRSHIP SENDING OFF A MISSILE> LEADING FROM THE AIR IS THE U-S. THEY HAVE BEEN BEHIND OVER 100 STRIKES IN THE REGION AIMED AT ISIS FIGHTERS. <NATS FROM A US AIRSHIP SENDING OFF A MISSILE> IN KOBANI, THEY’RE DROPPING WEAPONS AND SUPPLIES. (Reuters — 2174)(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) REPRESENTATIVE OF DEMOCRATIC UNION PARTY (PYD) IN SOUTH KURDISTAN, NOZHIN YOUSSIF, SAYING: “The delivery of arms to Kobani was a very significant move.” //WIPE// <NATS OF FIGHTING IN KOBANI — ground video of ypg> RECEIVING THESE ARMS ARE A SERIES OF FRACTIOUS SYRIAN KURDISH GROUPS. <(SOUNDBITE) (Kurdish) KURDISH FIGHTER, BEHROUZ ERDAL SAYING>(reuters 6117) “I am a fighter of YPG, my name is Behrouz Erdal.” ALL THESE GROUPS HAVE ONE MAIN AIM: TO DEFEND TO KURDISH INHABITED AREAS OF SYRIA FROM ANY OUTSIDERS, BE IT ISIS OR BASHAR AL-ASSAD. <NATS OF YPG FIGHTING — ground amvid from reuters NOW ANOTHER KURDISH GROUP IS JOINING THEM. THE PESH MERGA - WHOSE NAME LITERALLY MEANS “THOSE WHO FACE DEATH” - HAVE LONG BEEN AN AMERICAN ALLY IN IRAQ. DURING THE 2003 IRAQ WAR, THEY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE CAPTURE OF SADDAM HUSSEIN. <NATS OF PESHMERGA FIGHTING — ground amvid from reuters WHAT ALL THESE GROUPS SHARE IS A DESIRE FOR AN INDEPENDENT KURDISH STATE, WHICH WOULD POTENTIALLY BE CARVED OUT OF IRAQ, SYRIA, AS WELL AS TURKEY. //WIPE// <QUICK NAT OF ERDOGAN> THAT DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENCE DOESN’T SIT WELL WITH THE FINAL PLAYER IN THE ALLIANCE: TURKEY. THE GOVERNMENT IN ANKARA HAS BEEN AT WAR WITH A KURDISH INDEPENDENCE GROUP KNOWN AS THE P.K.K. <NAT OF PKK> <SOUNDBITE: Ben Van Heuvelen> (“the PKK has been the bogeyman enemy for decades ...in the Turkish mind, because if you prop up these Kurdish militias, then you’re going to create a potentially hostile Kurdish state right on your southern border.” FEARING THEY WOULD AGITATE THEIR OWN KURDISH POPULATION, TURKEY DID NOTHING AS THE FIGHTING RAGED IN KOBANI. THEY LITERALLY MASSED TANKS ACROSS THE BORDER...BUT DIDN’T JOIN THE FIGHT. THEY RECENTLY AGREED TO VERY LIMITED HELP - FACILITATING PESHMERGA TRAVEL. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER, MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU, SAYING: “We are fully cooperating with the coalition.” ALL IN ALL IT’S A PRECARIOUS ALLIANCE, TO SAY THE LEAST. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE JOHN KERRY SAYING: “Let me say very, very respectfully to our allies the Turks that we understand fully the fundamentals of their opposition.” ENDIT