Islamic State assaults Kurdish capital’s defenses

Forces of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant have embarked on a major assault to breach the fortification belt defending the Iraqi Kurdish Republic’s capital Irbil and reached within 45 km of the city. International coalition aircraft in the area are unable to strike ISIS units because the two sides are in close-proximity combat on the ground. The Islamists was attempting to infiltrate Kurdish lines along part of the River Zab but where the fortifications are strung out and weapons foir the Kurdish defenders in short supply. DEBKAfile: That the Islamists were able to mass forces so close to the Kurdish capital attests to the inefficacy of the US-Jordanian-UAR air operation against the invaders.