Islamic State steps up attack on Syrian town of Kobane
Paul Adams witnessed some of the shelling near Kobane
Intense fighting has flared between Kurdish militiamen and Islamic State (IS) militants advancing on the northern Syrian town of Kobane.
A BBC correspondent across the border in Turkey said mortars struck Kobane's eastern outskirts and there was heavy machine-gun and small arms fire.
IS has moved to within 1km (0.6 miles) of the town despite air strikes seeking to halt its two-week offensive.
Turkey has promised it will do whatever it can to prevent the fall of Kobane.
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu made the vow on Thursday after the Turkish parliament authorised military operations against militants in Iraq and Syria, as well as the use of Turkish bases by foreign forces.
A US-led international coalition is carrying out air strikes against IS positions in Iraq and Syria.
More than 160,000 Syrians, mainly Kurds, have fled across the border since IS launched an offensive to capture Kobane on 15 September.
In a separate development, IS militants shot down a government helicopter in the Baiji area north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, defence officials said.
Turkish tanks and armoured vehicles have been deployed along the Syrian border
Paul Adams, BBC News, Syrian-Turkish border near Kobane
Turkey's prime minister seemed to give a categorical assurance. The Turkish government, Mr Davutoglu said, did not want Kobane to fall and would do whatever it could to prevent this from happening.
But here on the border, Kobane is still under attack. A few hundred metres away, a squadron of Turkish tanks sits idle. There are no signs of any imminent Turkish move to stop the town falling.
Despite Thursday's parliamentary decision, Turkey is still wary of getting involved. It seems likely the government will once again press members of the US-led coalition to create a no-fly zone before sending troops anywhere across the border. BBC
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