AFP reports Daesh has launched a major offensive against the Kurdish town of Ras al-Ain on the Syrian border.

"Fighters from the Islamic State group [Daesh] started a huge assault towards Ras al-Ain, and were able to take over a village nearby," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) currently control Ras al-Ain and surrounding villages, but Daesh is fighting to take control.

The development comes weeks after Kurdish fighters drove Daesh out of the strategic border city of Kobani.