Fight for control of Kobane, Syria intensifies with 14 successful U.S airstrikes against IS militants

WASHINGTON, Oct. 16 (UPI) -- The U.S. military launched 14 airstrikes Thursday against Islamic State militants seeking control of the Kurdish border town of Kobane in Syria.

"Initial reports indicate the strikes successfully struck 19 ISIL buildings, two ISIL command posts, three ISIL fighting positions, three ISIL sniper positions, one ISIL staging location, and one ISIL heavy machine gun," U.S. Central Command reported Thursday.

CENTCOM noted that while these "airstrikes have continued to slow ISIL advances... the security situation on the ground in Kobani remains tenuous."

IS, also known as ISIL, has been engaged in a month-long battle with Kurdish forces for control of the Syria-Turkey border town.

Kurdish commander Baharin Kandal told the BBC that IS militants have been pushed out of most of Kobane, except for two areas. A Kurdish fighter who spoke with CNN about the situation said "there is still street fighting in the east and in the south."

The change of tide comes nearly a week after U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura warned that U.S. airstrikes and Kurdish forces "may not be enough to save the city."