Islamic State holds 40 percent of Kobani, could capture it: U.S. adviser

LONDON (Reuters) - Islamic State (IS) militants now control 40 percent of the Syrian town of Kobani on the Turkish border and might well capture it, Deputy U.S. National Security Adviser Tony Blinken said on Friday. Blinken said as of Thursday, IS fighters had taken over about 40 percent of Kobani with local Kurdish forces holding about 60 percent, echoing figures from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "I don't know what's going to happen because again in the absence of any ground force there, it is going to be difficult just through air power to prevent ISIL (IS) from potentially taking over the town," he told reporters at a briefing in London. He said there would be other similar situations to Kobani where U.S. actions may or may not be effective. "There are other Kobanis in Iraq, there are other Kobanis in Syria on a daily basis," he said. (Reporting by Guy Faulcnobridge; writing by Michael Holden; editing by Kate Holton)