ISIS forces near Kobani, Syria, hit by fresh U.S. airstrikes

The United States conducted further air strikes against ISIS forces in and around Kobani, Syria, on Thursday as the battle between Kurdish rebels and militants raged.

• Airstrikes in Syria have killed almost 600, monitor says
• Turkey opposes U.S. arms transfer to Kurds in Kobani
• Airstrikes get more accurate with help from Kurds
• Turkey denies deal reached to allow U.S. use of airbase

The roar of fighter jets could be heard from a blue sky and a cloud of black smoke towered over the strategic border town of Kobani.

In Telshair hill, west of Kobani, men could be seen walking on a hilltop. It was not clear if they were Islamist State in Iraq and Syria militants or Kurdish fighters.

Until recently, the flag of the Kurdish militia People's Protection Units (YPG) was flying on that hill. On Thursday, no flag was visible from the Turkish side of the border.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday agreement had been reached on sending 200 Kurdish peshmerga fighters from Iraq through Turkey to help defend Kobani.

A senior official in Iraq's Kurdistan region told Reuters the peshmerga would be equipped with heavier weapons than those being used by Kurdish fighters in Kobani, who say they need armour-piercing weapons to fend off ISIS.

Iraqi Kurdish lawmakers on Wednesday approved sending the fighters, marking the semi-autonomous region's first military foray into Syria's war.

ISIS, keen to consolidate territorial gains in northern Syria, has pressed an offensive on Kobani even as U.S.-led forces continue bombing the militants' positions.