Turkish occupation forces attack Manbij, northeastern Syria: SDF
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The SDF's Manbij Military Council reports fierce confrontations against Turkish forces in areas in Manbij, northeastern Aleppo.
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US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters stand guard next near Baghouz, eastern Syria, February 22, 2019 (AP)
The Syrian Democratic Forces' Manbij Military Council reported on Saturday that its fighters were confronting Turkish attacks in southern and western Manbij, located in northeastern Aleppo, as well as the latest developments in the city's countryside.
A statement issued by the Council's Media Center read, "The Turkish occupation and its mercenaries are escalating their attacks around Manbij and its villages for the second consecutive day."
It further clarified that Turkish drones have bombed the area dozens of times, whereas its mercenaries bombarded the region with hundreds of artillery shells and rockets, to cover joint ground attacks carried out by Turkish mercenaries and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) forces on villages to the south and west of Manbij.
Armed groups also launched an attack on the village of Andabat, located near the al-Sajour crossing, prompting direct clashes that concluded with their forces fleeing, the Media Center revealed.
The statement expanded, saying that on the Deir Hafer axis and the Aleppo-Tabqa road, as well as on the frontlines of Manbij, the Turkish occupation army itself is leading the attack. It noted that these two fronts have been targeted at least 20 times by drones.
"The Turkish occupying state is monitoring the frontlines of the Manbij Military Council forces, providing its mercenaries with this information, guiding them, and moving them on the ground," it added.
It emphasized that in the face of these attacks, "the Manbij Military Council forces, with the help of locals, are showing heroic resistance, repelling the attacks amid ongoing fierce clashes on various axes around the al-Arima area and southern Manbij."
The Council further emphasized that its forces have the legitimate right to defend the city and its people.
SDF head reports on increased ISIS activity in Syria's eastern regions
There is increased ISIS activity in the Syrian desert, revealed Mazloum Abdi, the General Commander of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Friday, reassuring the residents of al-Raqqa, al-Tabqa, and Deir Ezzor that the SDF is prepared to protect all people in the region.
Speaking about the recent developments in Syria, Abdi noted that these events have led to a noticeable increase in ISIS movements in the Syrian Desert, as well as in the countrysides of Deir Ezzor and al-Raqqa.
He confirmed that ISIS has managed to regain control of some areas in these regions, posing an escalating security threat.
To address this, the SDF intends to intensify its cooperation with the US-led International Coalition in the coming period, he indicated.
Abdi stressed that the current situation in Syria requires swift action to protect civilians and establish security in the northern and eastern regions. He also announced that SDF forces had regained control of several areas previously vacated by Syrian government forces.
Abdi emphasized that the recent developments in Syria necessitate reducing tensions with all parties to achieve a political solution in the country, which we support in line with Resolution 2245.
Read more: Rocket attack by SDF on Aleppo's al-Bab kills one, injures over 10
