SDF’s Manbij Military Council kills 26 SNA militants in northern Syria
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Manbij Military Council (MMC), affiliated with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), announced on Monday killing 26 militants and injuring 21 others of the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka Syrian National Army (SNA), in Manbij region, northern Syria, in the past four days.
The MMC said, in a statement on its official website, that the SNA launched, on September 1, an attack on the northern and western countryside of Manbij, forcing the population to flee their villages and towns.
The MMC repelled the attack in the first day. However, the factions re-attacked the inhabited village of al-Dandaniyah with mortar and artillery shells from their bases in the village of Karbajli.
“The SNA also targeted the village of al-Muhsunly in the northern countryside of Manbaj, killing four children from one family,” according to the statement.
The SNA carried out another attack on the third day on the northern and western countryside of Manbij with heavy weapons and mortar shells, killing two civilians and injuring others. Additionally, abductions took place.
The MMC said that the SNA attacked MMC’s checkpoints again on the fourth day, but the MMC repelled the attack.
This came following a military operation called “Security Reinforcement” launched by the SDF against the Islamic State (ISIS) in Deir ez-Zor Governorate, eastern Syria. The SDF later announced the dismissal of commander of Deir ez-Zor Military Council, Ahmad al-Khabil, known as Abu Khawla, from duty, for his involvement in crimes and violations.
The operation led to the eruption of clashes between the SDF and gunmen affiliated with the dismissed leader and with Nawaf al-Bashir, leader of al-Baggara tribe and a pro-Iranian figure whose groups are active in the western bank of the Euphrates which is under the control of the Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias.