The Islamic State militants took possession of at least one cache of weapons airdropped by the U.S. led coalition Monday, activists said Tuesday. The coalition forces airdropped the weapons for the use of Kurdish fighters trying to defend the Syrian border town of Kobani.
The weapons included hand grenades, ammunition and rocket-propelled grenade launchers, according to a video posted by a media group owing allegiance to the Islamic State group.
The Britain-based monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said the militants had seized at least one cache, reports the Associated Press.
Moreover, people owing allegiance to the Islamic State posted thank you notes to the United States on the Social media on Tuesday.
State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said the U.S. officials had seen the video but couldn't verify its accuracy and was looking for more information.
The Islamic State militants already have in their possession costly U.S. weapons that they seized from fleeing Iraqi soldiers when the groups seized vast swaths of land in Iraq in June.
Meanwhile, the main Syrian Kurdish group fighting in Kobani said that the U.S. dropped weapons would not be sufficient for the Kurds to win against the Islamic state.
Redur Xelil, spokesman of the Kurdish YPG group, said that the weapons would have a positive impact on the battle and would increase the confidence of the Kurdish fighters who have far less weapons than the Islamic State. However, he added: "Certainly it will not be enough to decide the battle."
"We do not think the battle of Kobani will end that quickly. The forces of (Islamic State) are still heavily present and determined to occupy Kobani. In addition, there is resolve (from the YPG) to repel this attack," he said, reports Reuters.
