Kobane Pictures Reveal Devastation Of Syrian Town After Isis Was Driven Out | HuffPost

Isis Thought They'd Conquered Kobane, Instead They Reduced It To Rubble

Louise Ridley— The Huffington Post UK/AP

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Devastating pictures reveal the Syrian town of Kobane reduced to rubble, after US and Kurdish fighters pushed out Islamic State (IS) forces in bloody four-month campaign.

The images make clear the scope of the destruction in the key strategic town which IS, also known as Isis and Isil, took over in September.

Kobane, which sits close to the Turkish border, is "nearly destroyed" according to senior Kurdish official Idriss Nassan, who was speaking from the town.

Kobane is a pile of rubble

Buildings have become rubble, the streets are strewn with debris and there is no water, electricity or sewage system.

"The city has been fully liberated," said Nassan, but he admitted that it almost been wiped from existence.

In September, IS fighters captured about 300 Kurdish villages and hamlets near Kobane and moved into the town itself, occupying nearly half of it and sending tens of thousands of residents fleeing into Turkey.

The level of destruction will make it hard for refugees to return anytime soon.

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At least 90 percent of Kobane was now controlled by Kurdish forces, according the US Central Command. Kurdish militia, known as the People's Protection Units or YPG, now aims to "liberate" all villages near Kobane area from IS fighters, the force's commander, Mohammed Barkhadan, told reporters on Tuesday.

"The war in the town is over but the difficult task has begun," said Bali, an activist.

Devastation in Kobane

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A Kurdish fighter walks through the wreckage of a building in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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The picture shows the wreckage left by fighting on a street in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish man stands in a destroyed building in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A mortar shell sits in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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This picture shows the wreckage left by fighting on a street in the center of Kobane. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish boy stands near a fighter in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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The picture shows the wreckage left by fighting on a street in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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An injured Kurdish fighter sits near the site where a mortar shell landed in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurd stands in a building as pigeons fly over in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter walks with his child in the center of Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Kurdish fighters work on a mounted machine gun in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A shell is used as a vase in the Syrian border town of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter speaks on the phone as one of his comrades walks past in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Kurdish fighters walk along a street in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Kurdish children stand in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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The picture shows the wreckage left by fighting on a street in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter walks through the wreckage of a building in Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter walks through the wreckage of a building in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter opens the gate to Turkish side of the border in Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Kurdish fighters talk to each other in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter talks on the phone in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter holds a cat in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane, also known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter smiles as he drives a car in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Kurdish fighters talk each other in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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A Kurdish fighter walks with his child in the center of the Syrian border town of Kobane, known as Ain al-Arab, on January 28, 2015. Kurdish forces recaptured the strategic town on the Turkish frontier on January 26 in a symbolic blow for the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in a brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Collapsed buildings are seen in border town of Kobane on January 27, 2015 after it has been freed from Islamic State. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Collapsed buildings are seen in Kobane on January 27, 2015. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Collapsed buildings are seen in border town of Kobane on January 27, 2015. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Kurdish fighters stand in the center of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Kurdish fighters walk through the wreckage left by fighting on a street in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane on January 28, 2015. (credit:BULENT KILIC via Getty Images)

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Collapsed buildings are seen in border town of Kobane on January 27, 2015. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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A view of Kobane streets, Syria on January 27, 2015 after it has been freed from Islamic State. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Wreckage of buildings are seen in Kobane, Syria on January 27, 2015 after it has been freed from Islamic State. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Wreckage of buildings are seen in Kobane on January 27. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Damaged trees are pavements are seen in Kobane on January 27. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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Wreckage of buildings are seen in Kobane on January 27, 2015. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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A used weapon is seen in Kobane on January 27, 2015 after it has been freed from Islamic State. (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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