Intense
fighting is being reported between Kurdish militiamen and Islamic State
militants advancing on the northern Syrian town of Kobane.
A BBC correspondent across the border in Turkey says mortars are hitting Kobane’s eastern outskirts, and reports heavy machine-gun and small arms fire.
IS has moved to within 1km (0.6 miles) of the town despite air strikes seeking to halt its two-week offensive.
Turkey has promised it will do whatever it can to prevent the fall of Kobane.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made the vow on Thursday after the Turkish parliament authorised military operations against militants in Iraq and Syria, as well as the use of Turkish bases by foreign forces.
More than 160,000 Syrians, mainly Kurds, have fled across the border since IS launched an offensive to capture Kobane on September 15.
In a separate development, IS militants shot down a government helicopter in northern Iraq, the Associated Press quoted Iraqi defence officials as saying.
Turkey’s prime minister seemed to give a categorical assurance. The Turkish government, Mr Davutoglu said, did not want Kobane to fall and would do whatever it could to prevent this from happening.
But here on the border, Kobane is still under attack. A few hundred metres away, a squadron of Turkish tanks sits idle. There are no signs of any imminent Turkish move to stop the town falling.
Despite Thursday’s parliamentary decision, Turkey is still wary of getting involved. It seems likely the government will once again press members of the US-led coalition to create a no-fly zone before sending troops anywhere across the border.
A BBC correspondent across the border in Turkey says mortars are hitting Kobane’s eastern outskirts, and reports heavy machine-gun and small arms fire.
IS has moved to within 1km (0.6 miles) of the town despite air strikes seeking to halt its two-week offensive.
Turkey has promised it will do whatever it can to prevent the fall of Kobane.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made the vow on Thursday after the Turkish parliament authorised military operations against militants in Iraq and Syria, as well as the use of Turkish bases by foreign forces.
More than 160,000 Syrians, mainly Kurds, have fled across the border since IS launched an offensive to capture Kobane on September 15.
In a separate development, IS militants shot down a government helicopter in northern Iraq, the Associated Press quoted Iraqi defence officials as saying.
Turkey’s prime minister seemed to give a categorical assurance. The Turkish government, Mr Davutoglu said, did not want Kobane to fall and would do whatever it could to prevent this from happening.
But here on the border, Kobane is still under attack. A few hundred metres away, a squadron of Turkish tanks sits idle. There are no signs of any imminent Turkish move to stop the town falling.
Despite Thursday’s parliamentary decision, Turkey is still wary of getting involved. It seems likely the government will once again press members of the US-led coalition to create a no-fly zone before sending troops anywhere across the border.
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