U.S. General James Terry says Kurdish forces have driven militants from the Islamic State (IS) extremist group from the northern Syrian town of Kobani.
Terry, the commander of the Combined Joint Task Force that has been carrying out air strikes against the IS, said in a January 31 statement, "Kurdish ground forces, supported by our air component, were successful in retaking the town of Kobani."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the Kurdish fighters' success in recapturing Kobani from IS militants was a "big deal."
Kerry said even the IS had been forced to concede its expulsion from the town.
In a video released by the pro-IS Aamaq News Agency late on January 30, two IS fighters said air strikes by the U.S.-led coalition were the main reason why they were forced to withdraw from Kobani.
Kurdish forces had been battling IS militants for control of Kobani, near the Turkish border, since last summer.
