U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Lindsey Graham have warned of bipartisan sanctions against Turkey if it rejects a ceasefire proposal from the U.S. and a plan by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazlum Abdi to establish a demilitarized zone in Kobani.

The first U.S. diplomats to visit Syria since President Bashar Assad's ouster earlier this month are in Damascus to hold talks with the country's new leadership and seek information on the whereabouts

The US has stepped up its battle against Isis in Syria as it seeks to prevent the group exploiting a power vacuum after rebels toppled the Assad regime, launching some of its heaviest air strikes against the jihadis in years.

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein warned that ISIS was reorganising its ranks and exploiting the political vacuum and chaos in Syria where rebels led by Hayat Tahrir Al Sham toppled president Bashar Al Assad's regime.

US diplomats are in the Syrian capital Damascus where they plan to meet representatives from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the group now in charge but which Washington still designates as a terrorist organisation. The visit follows those of delegations in recent days from the UN and other countries including the UK, France and Germany.

Washington is scrapping a long-standing reward for the arrest of Syria's new leader, a senior U.S. diplomat said Friday, following "positive messages" from a first meeting that included a promise