The S&Ds feel that there is a real need for more international coordinated action in order to halt the assault on Kobane and completely destroy IS.

Gianni Pittella, president of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament, said:

"We express all our support to Kurdish people in Kobane. The resistance of the Syrian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdish Democratic Party (PYD), aided by the US airstrikes, has succeeded in slowing down the assault by the terrorist Islamic State (IS) on the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobane but it is not enough to stop it. Failure to act to protect Syrian Kurds could derail the peace process with the PKK, launched by Erdogan´s government two years ago.

"We trust the firm and clear commitment of Turkey, together with the international coalition, to fighting IS, a real enemy of civilization. IS is neither a state nor Islamic – it is a terrorist organization.

"We wish to commend the Turkish efforts to host Syrian refugees."

S&D MEP and vice-president for foreign affairs Victor Boştinaru said:

"Turkey's reservations and inaction against Islamic State militants is contradictory to our efforts to stop IS and its obligations as a member of NATO and a future EU candidate country. It is morally very difficult to accept Turkey failing to support the Kurdish fighters at such a critical moment.

"We do recognize Turkey's legitimate right to fight terrorism but at this moment the fight against IS is the gravest threat to all countries in the region, including Turkey, and therefore should take precedence over all other concerns.

"Kobane's fight is important not only because of the urgent need to protect human lives but because it is a symbol of the wider confrontation against ISIL and Al-Qaeda linked groups."