It is reported that fighting has intensified in Kobane - the Syrian border town where Kurdish forces have been fighting Islamic State since September.

The BBC reports that there have been at least four suicide attacks carried out by IS militants, resulting in the deaths of at least 25 people.

The first of the suicide attacks took place around dawn on Saturday. The target was a Kurdish outpost near the Turkish border crossing, and is believed to be the first outbreak of fighting in that area.

More than 200,000 people have fled to Turkey since the start of the two-month battle, and hundreds of others have been killed.

The Kurdish troops have been assisted by almost 300 airstrikes from a US-led coalition targeting Islamic State, as well as small numbers of Syrian rebels and Iraqi peshmerga fighers.

Speaking to Associated Press, a Kurdish commander said earlier this week the fighting had entered 'a new phase', with troops believing they are close to victory against the militant forces.  

“We can tell everyone, not just those on the front lines, that we are drawing up the necessary tactics and plans to liberate the city,” he said.