IS unleashes offensive on Syrian city

The Islamic State (IS) militants have launched a "violent" attack on predominantly Kurdish city of Ras al-Ayn in Syria near Turkish borders, Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Wednesday.

Intense clashes have been raging since Tuesday evening between Kurdish fighters of the People's Protection Units and IS militants near Tal Khanzir and Manajir areas in the countryside of Ras al-Ayn, Xinhua reported.

The Kurdish fighters and allied forces have been in control of Ras al-Ayn and other Kurdish areas since Syrian troops withdrew in 2012.

Since then, a number of jihadi groups attempted to attack those areas without scoring a win on the Kurdish YPG.

Meanwhile, the US-led anti-terror coalition carried out several airstrikes overnight on IS positions near the city of Shadadi, also a predominantly Kurdish province, said the Observatory.