IS attacks Kobane, Syria

Fighters of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) attacked the Kurdish-held city of Kobane, Syria, on June 25, executing at least 120 civilians. IS attacked Kobane in January but was repulsed by Kurdish fighters supported by US air strikes. 

The IS attack on Kobane came after Kurdish forces, this June, took control of the IS-held towns of Ain Issa and Tal Abyad, which IS had taken from Syrian forces in June 2014. Ain Issa is just north of the de facto IS capital, Raqqa, along an important supply route. 

Since the civil war in Syria began in 2011, at least 200,000 people have been killed and more than 11 million have become refugees.