For the second day, Kurdish armed forces have been repelling massive attacks by terrorist groups in the Manbij region in the north of Aleppo province in Syria, militant groups are attempting an offensive under the cover of artillery and drone strikes, the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said in a statement.
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“Terrorist mercenaries, with the support of Turkey, have been increasing the intensity of attacks in the Manbij area for the second day. Turkish army drones carried out dozens of strikes. Terrorist artillery fired hundreds of shells to cover the joint ground offensive of Turkish mercenaries and members of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham,” the statement said.
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According to the document, fierce fighting between members of the Manbij Military Council (paramilitary units controlled by the SDF) occurred in the area of the village of Andabat, as a result of which the terrorists were forced to retreat to their original positions. The fighting continued throughout Friday and early Saturday.
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The SDF command called on the population to “act based on new realities” and support the Kurdish forces in protecting territories and people’s lives.
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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated back in November 2022 that the country’s armed forces intend to clear the Syrian regions of Tel Rifat, Manbij and Ain al-Arab from Kurdish militants.
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The terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, together with a number of armed formations that are part of the so-called armed Syrian opposition, launched a large-scale operation on November 29, moving from the north of Idlib towards the cities of Aleppo and Hama. A day later, on November 30, the second largest city in Syria and its surroundings, including the international airport and the Kuweiris military airfield, came under the control of terrorists.
