In a significant escalation of conflict in northern Syria, at least 26 combatants were killed on Sunday as Turkish-backed Syrian fighters launched a fierce offensive in the Manbij area. This offensive came just days after these pro-Turkey forces successfully seized control of the Kurdish-held enclave of Tal Rifaat, further intensifying the ongoing struggle for territory in the region.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring organization that provides updates on the conflict, pro-Turkish factions managed to seize substantial portions of the city of Manbij, located in the eastern Aleppo countryside. The clashes involved intense fighting with the Manbij Military Council, which is affiliated with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). These forces serve as a de facto military authority for the Kurdish administration that exercises control over large areas of northeastern Syria.
The Observatory reported that the violent confrontations resulted in the deaths of nine fighters aligned with the Turkish-backed factions and at least 17 members of the Manbij Military Council. This information was derived from a network of sources operating within Syria, highlighting the complexity and volatility of the situation on the ground.
In response to the fighting, the US-backed SDF reported ongoing “fierce clashes” in the region. They noted that the military councils in both Manbij and Al-Bab were delivering “qualitative blows” to the Turkish-backed fighters, suggesting that despite the losses, significant resistance was being mounted against the offensive.
Meanwhile, the factions supporting Ankara claimed victory, stating they had “taken control of the city of Manbij” after engaging in intense combat. They took to their Telegram channel to make this announcement, even sharing videos purportedly showing their fighters asserting control over various locations within the area. However, the authenticity of these videos could not be independently verified by AFP.
The situation remains fluid, and tensions continue to rise as various factions struggle for dominance in a region that has seen relentless conflict since the onset of the Syrian civil war. Earlier in the day, Mazloum Abdi, a commander of the SDF, marked what he described as “historic” moments in the ongoing struggle, referring to the recent decline of the “authoritarian regime” led by President Bashar al-Assad.
