With ISIL in control of nearly half of Kobani, the US and its allies have dramatically stepped up air strikes in a campaign newly named “Inherent Resolve”.

The coalition says it has bombed jihadist targets in and around the Syrian border town nearly 40 times in a two-day period – that is around triple the pace of last week.

Elsewhere in Syria, President Assad’s air force is also said to be ramping up its strike rate against rebels.

Opponents fear he is taking advantage of the US military action to crush other foes, including the “moderate opposition” that Washington backs.

In Iraq, fears are focussed on ISIL’s increasing grip on Anbar province and on Baghdad, with the militants just 40 kilometres from the capital.

The Iraqi Defence Ministry has released pictures of its army using new rocket launchers. But it is becoming increasingly clear that it will take a lot more than this – and coalition air strikes – to stop the extremists.