Turkish Kurds watch the Syrian town of Kobani from near the Mursitpinar border crossing
Turkish Kurds watch the Syrian town of Kobani from near the Mursitpinar border crossing, on the Turkish-Syrian border in the southeastern town of Suruc, October 19, 2014. Reuters

Contrary to the popular perception that all Kurds are opposed to ISIS and Kobani battle in Syria is between the Kurds and ISIS, reports are coming that a top military commander of the ISIS in Kobani is a hardcore Iraqi Kurd.

Known by the name Abu Khattab al-Kurdi, the IS fighter of Kurish origin is giving vital support for the ISIS extremists in the Kobani battle against Syrian Kurds. According to the Syrian Kurdish force, People's Protection Units, or YPG, some Kurds are in the ranks of Sunni dominated ISIS extremists. They too noticed these rival Kurds at the nearby Syrian village of Shiran. But these Kurdish men had different accents and were wearing YPG uniforms and trying to infiltrate their ranks. Upon questioning by YPG they confessed that they were fighting for the Islamic State group, reported Fox News.

Halabja Kurds in ISIS

The Iraqi military and Kurdish officials said many of the Kurdish fighters in the ISIS are from the northeastern Iraqi town of Halabja. That town was bombed by Saddam Hussein's forces in 1988 and an estimated 5,000 people were killed.

The presence of a top Kurd commander was confirmed by Shorsh Hassan, the YPG spokesman in Kobani. The presence of Kurds in ISIS was also confirmed by websites affiliated to the ISIS, which published the photographs of a young, bearded man, wearing the Kurdish garb of baggy pants and seen as guarding some Kurds killed in Kobani. One Iraqi security official identified the militant Kurd in ISIS as al-Kurdi, a former member of Ansar al-Islam and was closely linked with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the late leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq.

Later, Al-Kurdi joined the ISIS, the official said. He said al-Kurdi is a wanted person by Iraqi authorities. "Our information is that he is fighting in the Kobani area and is known as an expert in mountain warfare," the Iraqi official said. Though most of the Kurd Muslims are considered moderate and secular-leaning, some have already strayed from that path.

Kurd Foot Ball Player

Besides al-Kurdi, some more like Kiwan Mohammed Goran, the 25-year-old goalkeeper of Halabja's soccer team, also joined ISIS. Goran was killed in Syria, recently while fighting for the ISIS in Kobani. He has been identified by jihadi websites as Abu Walid al-Kurdi, reported Bas News. Goran was hit by coalition warplanes while they targeted IS positions. Goran became the second Halabja footballer to join Islamic State. Earlier, Halabja striker Hawrami joined al-Nusra Front and was killed in Syria.

Dana Jalal, an Iraqi journalist who follows jihadi groups, said at least 70 Iraqi Kurds, mostly from Halabja region, have joined the ISIS in Syria.