Iraqi peshmerga fighters arrive in Turkey for Syria deployment

People wave to Kurdish Peshmerga fighters on their way to the Syrian town of Kobani, in Dohuk province October 28, 2014. REUTERS/Ari Jalal

SANLIURFA Turkey (Reuters) - Iraqi peshmerga fighters arrived in southeastern Turkey early on Wednesday ahead of their planned deployment to the Syrian town of Kobani to help fellow Kurds repel an Islamic State advance which has defied U.S.-led air strikes.

A Turkish Airlines plane touched down in the southeastern city of Sanliurfa at around 1:15 a.m. (2315 GMT) amid tight security, a Reuters correspondent said. A convoy of white buses escorted by armoured jeeps and police cars left the airport shortly afterwards.