Kobani conflict spreads

The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Tuesday that 'Islamic State' (IS) fighters in the Kurdish Syrian city of Kobani have reached "about 50 meters inside the southwest of the city," which lies close to the Turkey-Syrian border.

"There were clashes overnight. Not heavy but [IS] is going forward from the southwest. They have crossed into Kobani and control some buildings in the city there," said Rami Abdulrahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Abdulrahman added that a number of buildings in the south and west of the town, including a hospital which was under construction, had been seized by IS fighters.

At least 34 IS jihadists and 16 Kurdish fighters are reported to have been killed in Kobani during Monday's fighting.

Coalition airstrikes

The Observatory also reported fresh US-led airstrikes against IS overnight on the east and southeastern edges of Kobani.

Kobani activist Mustafa Ebdi, however, said that the latest strikes had had little effect. "There are other places they should be hitting," he said.

IS jihadists first began advancing on Kobani some three weeks ago in the hope of seizing the town, in an attempt to strenghten its hold over a long stretch of the Turkish-Syrian border.

Their advance has resulted in more than 180,000 residents fleeing into Turkey, whose government has been watching the situation with growing concern.

Turkey's parliament has authorized its army to join the US-led campaign against the IS, and on Monday dispatched at least 14 tanks to defensive positions on a hilltop near Kobani, but on their side of the border.

The head of NATO, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, said on Monday that "Turkey is a NATO ally" and the Western military alliance would protect Turkey if it came under attack.

ksb/jr (Reuters, AFP, AP)