Isis militants are locked in a fierce battle with Kurdish fighters for the northern Syrian town of Kobane just a day after the Turkish Prime Minister vowed to do everything possible to keep it from falling into the hands of the Islamists. This morning, Isis were reportedly just a few kilometres away from the strategically important town  with witnesses reporting smoke rising from buildings as the town came under shell and mortar fire. Turkey now appears poised to be drawn into the ground conflict with armoured personnel carriers, tanks and armoured vehicles deployed near the Syrian-Turkish border. Scroll down for video
@highlight
Kurdish fighters locked in fierce battle with Isis militants
@highlight
Militants reported a few kilometres from strategically important town
@highlight
Explosions and smoke seen as buildings are hit by mortar and shell fire
@highlight
Some 160,000 have fled town since Isis began its advance on September 16
@highlight
Turkey massing troops, tanks and armoured vehicles on the border
@highlight
Britain sends one of its most advanced warships to Gulf
@highlight
HMS Defender will U.S. aircraft carrier in fight against militants
Syrian Kurdish refugees arriving by truck  at a @placeholder refugee camp after fleeing the city of Kobane