Turkey pounds Syria’s Manbij with 445 shells in ten days
ALEPPO, Syria (North Press) – Manbij Military Council of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) revealed on Wednesday the toll of ceasefire agreement violations committed by Turkish forces on the countryside of the city of Manbij in northeast of Aleppo governorate during the last ten days.
Turkish forces and the Turkish-backed armed Syrian opposition factions targeted the villages of al-Hoshriya, al-Jat, al-Tukhar, Aoun al-Dadat, al-Mehsinli, Arab Hassan, Umm Adasa, al-Sayyada, al- Yalinli, Qart, Yaran, Korhyuk, al-Hamra, al-Kawkli and al-Arima with mortars and heavy and medium weapons, according to the council.
The Turkish forces targeted the above mentioned villages from their bases in the villages of Qirata, al-Tokhar, al-Halwani, al-Yashli, Sheikh Nasser, al-Zarzour, Shuwaiha and al-Ashli with 445 shells, the source added.
Following the Turkish incursion in October 2019, Turkey signed two ceasefire agreements, one with Russia and the other with the US stipulating ceasing all hostilities and the withdrawal of the SDF 32 km away from the Turkish border.
The SDF did withdrew from the border areas according to the agreement, but Turkey continues targeting the area.
The bombardment of Manbij countryside damaged two of civilians’ houses and agricultural lands, and caused displacement.
Due to the successive indiscriminate shelling of these villages, people live in a state of terror, the council added.
The recent Turkish escalation coincided with a series of threats by the Turkish president of a potential military operation against Syrian north.
On June 1, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan renewed his threats of launching a military operation on northern Syria, and specified his targets in the two Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat, which include many Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
During the last week, 12 villages in the northern and eastern countryside of Manbij, were shelled with about 206 mortar shells and attacked with machine guns.
On May 30, Manbij Military Council stated that the Turkish forces shelled the villages of the northern countryside of Manbij with 41 shells during three consecutive days.
On May 18, the council declared that it had thwarted an infiltration attempt by Turkish-backed opposition faction’s members near the village of al-Mehsinli, north of Manbij.