US forces have airdropped arms and ammunition as well as medical aid to Kurdish fighters battling ISIS [Islamic State] militants in the Turkish-Syrian border town of Kobani.
C-130 aircraft made several rounds of airdrops and returned to safety, the US Central Command said.
"Combined with continued resistance to ISIL [ISIS] on the ground, indications are that these strikes have slowed Isil advances into the city, killed hundreds of their fighters and destroyed or damaged scores of pieces of Isil combat equipment and fighting positions," a statement said.
According to senior US administration officials, who have knowledge of the operation cited by the Guardian, three C-130s dropped about 27 bundles of small arms, ammunition and medical supplies.
The US is still assessing the impact of the supplies and hopes they have reached the intended Kurdish forces.
The airdrops are the first of their kind following weeks of US airstrikes against ISIS interests.
The airdrops are likely to infuriate the Turkish government which has been opposing any move tosupply weapons to Kurdish rebels in Syria.
The US supplies come a day after Turkish president Reccep Tayyip Erdogan said he would not allow American arms transfer to the Kurds who are seen as partners of the Turkish rebel group.
Kobani remains a strategic flashpoint for the past several weeks with fierce fighting raging as ISIS extremists press ahead to take control of the border town.
