Islamic State jihadists have penetrated the Syrian border town of Kobane triggering street fighting with its Kurdish defenders after a three-week siege.

“Urban guerilla warfare has started and the fighting is taking place for the first time in districts at the eastern entrance to Kobane, in Maqtala al-Jadida and Kani Arabane,” Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman said on Monday.

“The jihadists and the Kurds are clashing in the streets, between apartment buildings,” he said whereas hundreds of civilians fled to the Turkish border.

The Observatory said at least 20 jihadists were killed late on Sunday when they entered an eastern neighbourhood and were ambushed by Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) fighters.

Moreover, as the Observatory reports, a Kurdish female fighter blew herself up at an IS position east of Kobane on Sunday.