Huge explosions rock Syrian town of Kobani on Turkish border

Latest explosions come amid reports of US air strikes overnight

(Reuters)

Huge explosions have been seen in the centre of Kobani, as witnesses reported giant “mushrooms” of smoke filling sky above embattled Syrian border town.

Captured on NBC and Sky News it appeared that the explosions were a result of US missiles targeting Isis, also known as the Islamic State, who have been attempting to secure the town.

Kobani, situated in the north of Syria on Turkey’s southern border, has been defended by Kurdish Peshmerga soldiers, supported by US air strikes, to the north against Isis fighters attempting to claim the city from the south.

Users took to social media to show pictures of the explosions, although there is little evidence of the damage caused or casualties, with some speculating that the hits were in the Isis-controlled territory and measured “50m radius”.

The latest explosions come as news broke of at least seven international air strikes last night.

Kobani resident Mustefa Ebdi claimed to Al-Arabyia that the blasts could be heard roughly 20 kilometres from town, shaking the cars around him.

Yesterday the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights claimed that over 1,000 people had been killed in the violence around the town.

It estimated that although the majority killed were either Isis fighters or YPG and al-Asayesh fighters, scores of civilians have also been killed in the fighting.