People of Syria’s Manbij condemn Turkish attacks
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – On Sunday, thousands of the people of Manbij in northern Syria took to the streets and condemned the recent Turkish attacks on their area.
Since Sept. 1, the Turkish-backed armed opposition factions, aka the Syrian National Army (SNA), and militants of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) attacked the northwestern villages of Manbij. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) repelled the attacks and as a result more than 50 militants of the SNA and the HTS were killed and injured.
On Sunday morning, mass protests took place in the city of Manbij, as thousands participated in and held the photos of the children who were killed in the fierce shelling.
The Civil Administration of Manbij and Countryside, affiliated with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (AANES), the Manbij Military Council, affiliated with the SDF, and prominent figures of the city made speeches during which they condemned the Turkish attacks that caused casualties including women and children.
On Sept. 1, five children were killed during attacks launched by the SNA on Manbij countryside. On the next day, a woman was killed and four other civilians were injured in the SNA attacks.
The attacks on Manbij came in tandem with attacks launched by gunmen affiliated to the Syrian government and Iranian-backed militias in Deir ez-Zor.
On Aug. 27, the SDF launched a military operation called “Security Reinforcement” with the support of the US-led Global Coalition on the eastern bank of the Euphrates River, specifically in Deir ez-Zor, “to eradicate ISIS sleeper cells, pursue criminals responsible for perpetrating injustices against the local population, and to track down smugglers who exploit the populace’s livelihoods.”
On Aug. 30, the SDF announced the dismissal of commander of Deir ez-Zor Military Council, Ahmad al-Khabil, known as Abu Khawla, from duty, for his involvement “in multiple crimes and violations, including communication and coordination with external entities hostile to the revolution, committing criminal offenses and engaging in drug trafficking, mismanaging of the security situation, his negative role in increasing the activities of ISIS cells,” according to the SDF.
The operation led to the eruption of clashes between the SDF and gunmen affiliated with the dismissed leaders 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.