Turkish-backed SNA clash with US-backed SDF in northern Syria

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Al Mayadeen
2 Sep 2023 10:20
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The Aleppo countryside continues to be the venue of fierce violent clashes between different military groups backed by foreign countries.

Turkish-backed "Syrian National Army" militants fire rounds while standing above a dirt barrier at a position near Azaz, Aleppo Governate, Syria, on November 29, 2022. (AFP)

Violent clashes erupted once again on Saturday between fighters belonging to the "Syrian National Army" (SNA), a group supported by Turkey, and the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the western outskirts of Manbij in the countryside of Aleppo.

SNA fighters are making a concerted effort to advance in the direction of the Am Adasa village in western Manbij, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported. This advance is accompanied by a barrage of heavy artillery and rocket fire from both sides.

This latest escalation comes on the heels of Russian airstrikes on Friday, targeting five positions that the SNA fighters had previously occupied in a village in eastern Aleppo. These areas have been under the control of the US-backed SDF, while the Russian military, in coordination with the Syrian government, is actively working to thwart the expansion of the SNA in northern Syria.

The strikes came after days-long clashes between the so-called "National Army" and SDF on the Manbij front.

SNA attempts to lure Arab tribes

Simultaneously, the "Syrian National Army" is said to have opened crossings for individuals from local tribes willing to join the fight against the SDF in Manbij and Al-Bab. This move was reportedly realized through a joint attack by the SNA and armed groups claiming to be tribal members, targeting several villages on two fronts.

Turkish-affiliated SNA posted videos claiming they had "taken control of the villages of Arab Hasan and Al-Mushannaleh" in the countryside of Manbij and Al-Bab, while the spokesperson for the SDF-affiliated Manbij Military Council, Sharfan Darwish, quickly denied "any news of mercenaries gaining control over any point or checkpoint in the villages and towns of the countryside of Manbij and Al-Bab."

Darwish confirmed "their forces' readiness to repel all attacks" and that "the clashes are ongoing in the villages of Al-Mushannaleh, Arab Hasan, Um Jalloud, Al-Sayyadah, and Al-Dandaniyah."

The Turkish forces, on their part, have intermittently targeted areas under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces, predominantly consisting of Kurdish fighters, in northern and northeastern Syria, using both drones and artillery.

Syria's Army intensifies attacks on terrorists

In response to repeated attacks on the Latakia, Aleppo, and Hama countrysides, the Syrian Armed Forces have recently intensified their efforts to target the headquarters of various armed terrorist groups, in coordination with Russian aerial forces.

Earlier, Arab tribal leaders and elders in Aleppo affirmed their support for the Syrian leadership and the Syrian army in the face of American and Turkish occupiers and their collaborators during the National Arab Elite Forum.

During the forum, the participants issued a concluding statement that emphatically rejected any unauthorized foreign military presence within Syria's borders. This stance reflects their unwavering commitment to safeguarding Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity.

One of the primary concerns voiced by the Arab tribal leaders and elders was the looting of Syria's resources and wealth by US occupation forces and their aligned militias, collectively known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). This condemnation underscores the deep-seated grievances regarding the economic exploitation of the country's assets.