Ethnic Kurds help IS in siege

Ethnic Kurds are helping members of the Islamic State in the battle for the key Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani, sharing their knowledge of the local terrain and language with the extremists, according to Iraqi and Kurdish officials.

It is not clear how many Kurds are aiding the estimated 3,000 Islamic State militants in the Kobani area — and fighting against their own Kurdish brethren — but activists say they are playing a major role in the seven-week conflict near the Turkish border.

A senior military commander for the extremists in the town is an Iraqi Kurd known as Abu Khattab al-Kurdi.