Kobane, Syria - Members of Syrian Kurdish People's Defence Units raise a flag on January 26 near where militants from the so-called Islamic State, also known as ISIS, had planted their own nearly four months ago in the strategic border town. The militia of Kurdish fighters, one of the few forces successfully fighting ISIS, celebrated retaking the town—a move that disrupts ISIS’s access to the Aleppo road and others on the old silk route along the Syrian-Turkish border, Despite the victory, surrounding villages remain in the hands of ISIS. Members of a 21-nation U.S.-led coalition met in London days before to discuss their ongoing battle against the terrorist army; notably absent were the Kurds. In a statement to the press, Iraqi Kurdistan Region President Masoud Barzani wrote, “It is unfortunate that the people of Kurdistan do the sacrifice and the credit goes to others.” slideshow