IS seize parts of key Syrian city

The fighting around the Syrian town of Kobane continues unabated amidst warnings from the US and UK that air power alone will not stop Islamic State (IS) fighters from overrunning its defenders.

A Pentagon spokesman saiid the US and its allies were "doing everything we can from the air" but that there were limits to what an air campaign could achieve.

Three weeks of fighting over Kobane have cost the lives of at least 400 people, and forced more than 160,000 Syrians to flee across the border to Turkey.

Seizing Kobane would give IS full control of a considerable stretch of the Syrian-Turkish border and reports from foreign news agencies indicate that IS militants had gained entry to parts of the city.

The US also appeared to be at odds with allies over a Turkish idea to create a buffer zone or safe haven along the border.

"Air strikes alone are not going to save the town of Kobane," said a Pentagon spokesman, adding that, ultimately, rebel fighters in Syria and Iraqi troops would have to defeat IS militants on the ground.

"We don't have a willing, capable, effective partner on the ground inside Syria right now," he said, warning that other towns could also fall to IS.

Admitting the limited effectiveness of airstrikes, the Pentagon said that anything the coalition can do from the air was unlikely to make a fundamental difference in the tactical situation around Kobane.

The chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen Martin Dempsey, told ABC News that IS was becoming "more savvy".
"We have been striking when we can. They don't fly flags and move around in large convoys the way they did. They don't establish headquarters that are visible or identifiable."

Asya Abdullah, one of the leaders of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, said that on Wednesday night IS entered two districts of Kobane with tanks and heavy weapons.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said IS had advanced about 100m (320ft) towards the town centre on Wednesday evening and that reinforcements were being brought in from an IS stronghold in Raqqa province.

Meanwhile, Turkey remains under intense pressure to do more to help Kurdish forces in Kobane, by providing a supply corridor for arms and humanitarian aid to Kobane. At least 19 people have been killed in Kurdish protests over Turkey's role.

Fighting between police and demonstrators continued in Istanbul throughout Wednesday night, with protesters protesters hurled petrol bombs at police, who responded with water cannon and tear gas.

Last week Turkey's parliament also authorised military action against the jihadists in Iraq and Syria, but so far no action has been taken.