ISIS Presses Forward Despite Airstrikes
LEMON: A senior U.S. official is in Turkey today trying to pressure the NATO ally to take a more aggressive role against ISIS fighter, now pressing their offensive into the Syrian town of Kobani. The U.S. military says air strikes in Syria took out two ISIS training facilities, plus some vehicles, but it wasn't enough to keep ISIS from advancing. Witnesses report intense street-to-street fighting in the center of the town where Kurdish security forces are headquartered. One fighter said the situation was very bad, with ISIS receiving reinforcements overnight. CNN senior international correspondent Arwa Damon is on the Turkish border, and joining us from Orlando is retired Army Lieutenant Mark - Lieutenant General Mark Hertling. Arwa, let's start with you. What can you tell us from your vantage point?</s>ARWA DAMON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, you were talking about those air strikes, Don, and we just heard what we believe to be two more inside Kobani. Very close to where we think a lot of that fighting you were referencing there has been taking place around those security headquarters. Now, the strikes also happening very close to the northern part of the city, and that is where we have been hearing ISIS fighters. You can still see that smoke just blowing across everything, but the northern part of the city where we have been receiving numerous reports that ISIS fighters have been trying to advance. Their aim is to encircle the entire city, trying to meet up with their units that are located further to the west. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and a Kurdish fighter that CNN spoke to inside, ISIS now controls approximately 40 percent of the city, and that is despite these numerous air strikes. The reasons for that being is that the Kurdish fighting force is outgunned and effectively outmanned. They are unable to get reinforcements in. They're not able to bring them in from Turkey. And all other entrances to Kobani are blocked by ISIS. ISIS, however, has those direct routes from the province of Aleppo, from their strongholds in Raqqah where they're able to resupply weapons, and also bring in even more fighters. And that is one of the many reasons why the Kurdish fighting forces has been calling on Turkey to open up a weapons corridor, has been trying to get more individuals to fight for it. There is one Arab brigade, a Free Syrian Army brigade, that is fighting inside as well. Overnight we spoke with the commander of that brigade. A lot of heavy gunfire. And again what we believe may have been yet another air strike. The crowds gathered around us. They are Kurds. Mostly Turkish Kurds, watching what has been unfolding in Kobani. And you here it here, the sound of yet another explosion. We are hearing the fighter jets overhead. But people really trying to get a handle on what is happening. If we just pan around to show the crowds of people that are gathered here. These people have been here. They have been watching what has been unfolding, their brethren, across the border for pretty much the last three weeks. It's been a very intense and emotional time for everybody. People very frustrated also because, as you may be able to see, the Turkish tanks are positioned within line of sight of the ISIS fighting positions on the other side. A lot of people asking why Turkey, at this stage, is not doing more. Turkey, though, for its part, effectively ruling out being part of any sort of ground operation or any sort of coalition, saying it will not do this on its own. And when it comes to any sort of military effort, Turkey says it will only partake if that effort involves not only going after ISIS, but after the Assad regime as well, Don.</s>LEMON: Yes. And, Arwa, I want to talk to the general about that, but you guys can just pan over, we can show our viewers what just happened. Arwa Damon is on the Turkey-Syrian border right now and there was an air strike just beyond her right shoulder there. And you can see the smoke now billowing from that air strike. And as we continue to look at these pictures, I want to bring General Hertling in because Arwa mentioned Turkey seeming - you know, they're extremely - not seeming, they are extremely reluctant to get involved militarily, even with ISIS positions within artillery range. Instead, they're insisting on a buffer zone, general, along the border. What exactly would that entail? And is that even feasible now?</s>MARK HERTLING, CNN MILITARY ANALYST: Well, Don, what you have to understand is, I think, you know, we're very frustrated, those of us who have worked with the Turkish army. We know they have the capability to do what we would like for them to do, and that is to counter this attack within Kobani. But, unfortunately, it's a matter of national priorities. Our priorities right now are defeating ISIS and stopping a humanitarian disaster of Kurds in this town. The Turkish national priorities, however, as Arwa just stated, are going after the Assad regime and they're not all that hip on countering anything that would help these Kurds because these Kurds, the Syrian Kurds, belong to the Syrian workers party, the Kurdish workers party, and they are connected in part to the PKK, which is a terrorist organization that the Turks have claimed have killed over 30,000 Turkish citizens. So there is the contention there between what the national priorities are of the United States versus Turkey. And I think this is the debate that General Allen and Mr. McGuirk (ph) are going to fall right into when they get into Ankara this afternoon as they try and press Turkey to at least help the Kurds reinforce themselves and prevent this human disaster.</s>LEMON: And again, general, as we continue to look at these pictures right along the Turkish-Syrian border, you mentioned the civilians, and around Arwa there are other civilians who are applauding when these air strikes happen. But what about the civilians in this town where these air strikes are happening now?</s>HERTLING: Well, they're fighting hard. They're certainly fighting hard. And I think it's a great credit to the Kurdish culture, first of all, that they're defending themselves. But that's part of the problem, too, because Turkey sees the Kurdish culture as trying to expand their hold over territory. I think the Turks, who are on the border, perhaps some Kurds with them, they're applauding because it's a good show. I think the military might is striking some targets. It is preventing some of the reinforcements, although there are mixed reviews on whether or not ISIL is getting more reinforcements into the fight. Other indicators from some of the Kurdish officials that I've talked to have said the air strikes are helping considerably and, you know, we're going after ISIL as a force. We're not looking to control terrain. And I think the airstrikes, as they've been readjusted by central command, have done some damage against the Syrians -- excuse me, ISIL, who is attacking in this area.</s>LEMON: Arwa Damon is with us still from the Turkish-Syrian border. This is her camera you're looking at moments ago, an airstrike, as she's giving her live report. Arwa, we talked about the civilians. You talked about the civilians around you. What about the civilians there, the conversation that the general and I are having in the town where these airstrikes are happening?</s>DAMON: Well, the bulk of the fighting force, that is called the YPG, and that is the Kurdish fighting force and they also have that one FSA, Free Syrian Army Arab Brigade, I was talking about. When it comes to the civilian population, in and of itself, there are some civilians that are still inside. These are people who are refusing to leave, who don't want to suffer indignity, despite everything, of having to leave their homeland, who would rather die in their homeland than come across and have to live in Turkey. There are also a significant number of civilians that are up along the Syria-Turkey border. These are people, along with their families, and we saw some of them and managed to speak with them through the border fence yesterday, who are refusing to cross into Turkey, because all that they own, they've packed into vehicles and the vehicles themselves, they are unable to drive across. And they, too, do not want to come into Turkey. We were also speaking to a number of families earlier in the day at one of the crossing points. They were carrying bags of bread, and that was for their relatives that were on the other side of the border. Those people who are on the other side of the border, inside Syria, whether it's in Kobani or pressed up against the border fence, are living in absolutely abysmal conditions. It is swelteringly hot here during the day. There are sandstorms, there are thunderstorms. They done have proper food. Many of them are just sustaining themselves on bread. Water is running low. And then, in the city of Kobani, in and of itself, it's very difficult to get basic supplies. Prices have skyrocketed. And when it comes to the medical situation inside that town, as well, we spoke to a doctor who was telling us that he treated, on average, around 20 to 30 wounded people amongst them. Civilians, among them, Kurdish fighters. But, he said, in recent days, Turkey shutting down its border has meant that some of those more severe casualties have died because they have simply bled out, and those people that are inside trying to save them were unable to do so, Don.</s>LEMON: Alright, we're going to continue to follow, so stand by, General Mark Hertleng and also Arwa Damon. We'll be right back.