Islamist militants known as ISIL have released a video showing British hostage John Cantlie walking around what he says are the ruins of the besieged Syrian Kurdish border town of Kobani.

In an apparently scripted “report” Cantlie says the battle for the town “is nearly over” and the militants are “mopping up now”.

Kobani has witnessed intense fighting between Kurdish militias and ISIL for more than a month.

The video which is unverified and taken off social media appears to be one of a series featuring the 43-year-old journalist, who was seized in late 2012.

Latest verified footage from Kobani shows US-led airstrikes on ISIL positions.

On Monday there were heavy clashes and sporadic exchanges of mortar fire in the town.

A deployment of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters which Turkey said could cross its border into Syria to help defend Kobani has not yet arrived.