UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, has implicitly appealed to Turkey to allow fighters across the Syria border to protect the city of Kobani from Islamic State.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Friday, Mistura stressed the dangers of an impending invasion of Kobani by Islamic State said,
"Please take action to protect the civilians, in this case of Kobani –Ayn al-Arab. Do we have an international scenario to justify any type of action?… Everyone who can should be doing what he can in order to control and hopefully stop this atrocious terrorist movement, especially when they are clearly indicating where they are going."
"We would like to appeal to the Turkish authorities in order to allow the flow of volunteers at least and their own equipment in order to be able to enter the city and contribute to a self-defence operation. And if they can, to support the deterrent actions of the collation through whatever means from their own territory."
When questioned as to whether he was calling for Kurdish fighters to be allowed across the border, the envoy said Turkey could look into allowing "at least those who want to go and do self-defence, which is an international human rights right, to do so with sufficient equipment to be able to fight and defend Kobani - Ayn al-Arab from ISIS."
Emphasising his belief that the fall of Kobani would lead to a massacre, Mr de Mistura also added "it’s not through UN resolutions that ISIL will stop attacking Kobani."
Turkey on Thursday expressed its reluctance to carry out military ground operations against Islamic State in Kobane and other border cities.