513 Turkish shells landed on Syria’s Manbij in June
MANBIJ, Syria (North Press) – Manbij Military Council revealed on Monday the outcome of the Turkish shelling of the villages of Manbij, a city in northern Syria, during the month of June.
The areas near the contact lines between the forces of the Manbij Military Council, which is affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) in the countryside of Manbij, witnessed an unprecedented escalation during the month of June, following Turkish threats to launch a military operation.
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has recently announced plans to carry out another major military cross-border incursion into northern Syria. Erdogan specified his targets in the two northern Syrian cities of Manbij and Tel Rifaat.
The Manbij Military Council said on its official website that the Turkish forces and their affiliated SNA factions shelled the villages of al-Hoshariya, al-Jat, al-Tokhar, Awn Dadat, al-Muhsinli, Arab Hassan, Umm Adas, Sayyada, al-Yalinli, Qurt, Korhyuk, Jabal al-Hamra, al-Boghaz, al-Kawikli, Tel Turin, Jib Makhzoum, Umm Jeloud, Pak, Yaran, and the town of Arima.
The aforementioned villages were targeted with 513 shells of heavy artillery and mortars, and 19 BGM-71 TOW guided missiles, despite that these villages are inhabited.
The city of Manbij is located in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Governorate in northern Syria. It is 30 km from the Turkish border. It has a population of about 700 million.
Manbij is of strategic location that can change the balance of power in northern Syria as it is located on the M4 highway, and it is the link between west and east of the Euphrates.
The intense shelling caused human and material losses, in addition to creating a state of fear and panic among the residents of those villages, according to the military council.
On June 29, two children lost their lives in Turkish shelling that targeted the village of Arab Hassan, north of Manbij.
On Sunday, the Turkish forces and SNA factions shelled the village of Umm Adasa, northwest of Manbij, with several mortar shells, but no casualties were reported.
The military council added that the Turkish forces had carried out the attacks from their bases stationed in the villages of Qirata, al-Tokhar, al-Halunji, al-Yashli, al-Sheikh al-Nassir, Zarzour, Shuwaiha, al-Ashli and al-Kreediyah.
The military council managed to shoot down two drones, in addition to killing four militants of the SNA factions, and injuring two others.
The Manbij Military Council, which is consisted of fighters from all the communities of the region such as the Arabs, Kurds, Circassians and Turkmen, was founded in 2017, and is affiliated with the SDF.
In 2014 ISIS militants took control over the city and its countryside, but it was liberated in 2016 by the SDF supported by the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS following fierce battles.