Syria: Turkey's President Erdogan Calls for 'Ground Operation' to Defeat Isis as Kobani 'About to Fall'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said that a ground operation is now necessary to defeat Isis (now known as the Islamic State).

"The terror will not be over... unless we cooperate for a ground operation," he said in a televised speech to Syrian refugees in the eastern Turkish city of Gaziantep.

"Months have passed but no results have been achieved. Kobani is about to fall [to IS]."

Erdogan's statement comes after reports of a prisoner swap deal between Turkey and IS for the release of 46 Turkish nationals and three local Iraqi staff.

As part of the deal, 10 European Union citizens were allegedly included in the 180 prisoners released by Turkey as verified by Syrian rebels and Turkish security sources.

Those released included three French nationals, two Swedes, two Macedonians, one Swiss and one Belgian.

Ankara has denied that a ransom was paid for the hostages' release but has so far refused to comment on whether a prisoner swap was agreed or not.

Following the release of the hostages, Ankara's stance has shifted from reluctance to one of willing assistance to the US-led coalition.

Western nations have put pressure on Turkey to secure its porous borders with Iraq and Syria following reports of jihadists reaching the terror group via the country.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said "the proof will be in the pudding" if Turkey acts to help the fight against the terror group.

Erdogan confirmed at the United Nations Summit in New York that Turkey would provide the "necessary support" to the operation in a "military or logistical" capacity to tackle the jihadists.

Last week, Ankara sent a proposal to the Turkish parliament that would expand the powers at the government's disposal to order military action against not just IS but to "defeat attacks directed towards our country from all terrorist groups in Iraq and Syria".

Turkey shares a border with both Iraq and Syria and has seen an influx of 1.5 million Syrian refugees cross its borders since the beginning of the Syrian civil war in 2011.