US air strike destroys Islamic State position on Kobane hill

Dramatic pictures show the moment an attempt by Isil jihadists to retake a hill west of the besieged town of Kobane was brought to a halt by an allied air strike.

Tel Shair is the mountain overlooking Kobane on the Syrian side of the Turkish border, and has been fought over for weeks.

It was taken by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as Isis, two weeks ago, and then retaken by the Kurdish militia the YPG on October 14 after the US-led air strikes helped turn the tide of battle inside the town in the Kurds' favour.

On Thursday morning, Isil made a sudden surge up the hill, driving the Kurds off it and planted their now well-known black flag, which was clearly visible from the Turkish side of the border.

As night fell, though, an air strike made a direct hit, sending a ball of flame up in the air and the jihadists running down the hill again.

By Thursday night, it was not clear who, if anyone, was in control, but the accuracy of the hit – and the expenditure in pursuit of a symbolic target – was contrasted on social media to the lack of support the Kurds were getting on the ground.

On Monday, the Americans also dropped crate-loads of weapons into the town for the Kurdish defenders – but were embarrassed when one of the parachute drops landed on the Isil side of the lines.

Jihadists posted pictures of themselves holding up brand new hand-grenades from the stash.

The Kurdish situation in the town is still precarious, even though they have managed to push Isil back in recent days.

An Isil flag could also be clearly seen hanging over a building on the eastern edge of town, despite the risk of another strike.