The Islamic State militants are tightening their grip on the border town of Kobane as Turkey sits idly by watching the plumes of smoke rise from across the border. The reason for this is simple – Turkey makes no distinction between the Kurdish Workers Party (PKK) or ISIS as Turks also regard the PKK as a terrorist organization within their country. Not only are Turks sitting and watching, but they are also preventing Kurds from crossing the border to help their fellow Syrian Kurds fight off ISIS that now controls over a third of the town, including the Kurdish headquarters.

The Kurdish fighters staving off ISIS are outgunned and outmanned after three weeks of fighting. Grandmothers toting Kalashnikovs, teen girls in jeans and even Kurdish primary school children are fighting for their lives as they are caught in the crossfire. It appears that they are doomed.

United Nations envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura warned that 12,000 or so civilians, including 700 mainly elderly people, are “likely to be massacred” if Kobane falls into the hands of the Islamic militants. He appealed to the Turkish authorities to help in at least allowing volunteers to cross the border.

Rather than help prevent this human tragedy,Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan appears to be exploiting the threat to extract concessions from the United States and the Kurds seeing the tragedy as an opportunity rather than a threat.

General John Allen, the United States special envoy for the anti-ISIS U.S. led coalition, and Ambassador Brett McGurk were in Ankara for a two-day visit to discuss questions regarding Turkey’s role in the coalition. They pressed their NATO ally to engage militarily against the militants.

Following the meetings, attended by Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, State Department Deputy Spokeswoman Marie Harf said that Turkey “has agreed to support, train and equip efforts for the moderate Syrian opposition.”

Turks across the border eat their bread rings and watch the “show” from the hillside