IS militants fire rocket shells on Syrian city

The Islamic State (IS) Suunni radical group fired over 80 rocket shells on the predominantly Kurdish city of Kobane in northern Syria Friday, as part of the ongoing violent battles for control over the city, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

The heavy shelling was coupled with intense battles on the eastern, western and southern outskirts of the city, said the Observatory, adding that over 3,000 displaced Kurdish civilians were stuck at the Tal Shair hilltop, located between Kobane and the Turkish borders, according to Xinhua.

Citing Kurdish sources, the Observatory said the Turkish border guards refused to allow the displaced Kurdish to crossover amid shelling from the IS militants in the area where the Kurdish people were struck at.

A total of 13 Kurdish militants of the People's Protection Unites, or YPG, were killed in fresh battles with the IS, said the Observatory.

Tens of thousands of Kurds have fled to the Turkish borders since IS started its bombardment on Kobane and the surrounding Kurdish towns and villages 17 days ago. Kurdish activists accused Turkey of aiding IS in battling the Kurds in Kobane to create a pretext for military intervention and to establish a buffer zone in Syria.