Islamic State driven out of Kobane

Islamic State (IS) militants have been forced to withdraw from the town of Kobane, on the Turkish border, according to reports.

Civilians have reportedly been seen moving back towards Kobane, whilst security forces were still searching for eight IS members, who are thought to have escaped north towards the Turkish border.

IS had begun a surprise assault on the town on Thursday, reportedly massacring civilians, including women and children. Independent reports say 206 bodies were found, most with bullet wounds. 

Kurdish forces broke the IS siege of Kobane only in January. IS had launched a two-pronged offensive after regional units of the Kurdish People’s Party had cut off a major supply route near the city of Raqqa, considered to be the capital of the IS "caliphate", earlier this month.

Meanwhile, fighting is ongoing in the Syrian city of Hassakeh, 270km east of Kobane where troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and their allies are engaging in fierce gunbattles with the militants who had attacked the city on Thursday, causing an estimated 60,000 people to flee the fighting .

Over 200,000 people have died in the past four years of conflict in Syria and more than 11 million others - nearly half the population - have been displaced.