As the operation to liberate Manbij enters its second month, the gangs trapped in the city carry out attacks on Manbij Military Council forces. Military Council member Mıstefa Minbic evaluated the attacks, and said that ISIS does not have the capacity to carry out such attacks and Turkey is supporting the gangs.

Mıstefa Minbic spoke to ANF on the current stage of the ‘Operation Liberate Manbij,’ the civilians kidnapped by the gangs, and the comprehensive gang attacks that have taken place recently.

The ‘Operation Liberate Manbij,’ which had begun on June 1, 2016, entered its second month. What is the latest situation in and around Manbij?

As the operation to liberate Manbij enters its second month, our forces have cleared tens of villages from ISIS gangs and besieged Manbij city center. Our fighters then began to carry out operations in the city center during the second phase of the operation.

Our fighters have liberated several strategic locations during the operation in Manbij city center and have entered the city from the west, south, north and east. Our forces continue their advance in the city center as they liberate streets and houses from ISIS.

Reports indicate that many civilians are still in the city center. What is the condition of the civilians in the city?

Yes, we have received similar information and ISIS gangs do not allow civilians to leave the city. Moreover, the gangs use civilians as human shields.

As we have said previously, Manbij Military Council avoids any approach or action that would risk the safety of civilians. We are currently working towards saving the civilians used by ISIS as human shields, and our solution has been to transfer the civilians that we have liberated from ISIS gangs to secure areas. Hundreds of people that managed to escape from ISIS arrive at secure areas every day.

Many families that escaped ISIS in order to reach secure areas lost their lives due to the mines planted by the gangs, and the gangs have shot and killed hundreds of civilians attempting to escape from the city center. The gangs even use heavy weaponry to attack civilians fleeing Manbij, and I call upon all international organizations to pay attention to this issue.

International human rights organizations that monitor the operation to liberate Manbij state and report that this is the first time a military force is paying this much attention to the safety of civilians in Syria.

Gang activities and attacks in Manbij have increased recently. As you know, ISIS gangs have attacked from the northwest, west and south of the city. What is the meaning of these attacks?

As you said, ISIS gangs have launched attacks from 3 directions in order to break the siege of Manbij city center and prevent the advance of Manbij Military Council fighters. However, this is not the first comprehensive ISIS attack, and the gangs had carried out 2 similar attacks in order to break the siege and help the gangs trapped inside the city center.

If you remember, ISIS gangs had carried out their second most comprehensive attack from Jarablus, Al Bab and Meskenê on June 20, but our forces had displayed a will of iron and repelled the attacks of the gangs. ISIS gangs have also recently attacked our positions from Al Sacûr to the northwest, Al Erîmê to the west, and Xirbet Al Rûs to the south of Manbij.

What is the latest situation regarding the comprehensive attacks of ISIS gangs? What would you like to say on this issue?

Firstly, I would like to tell our people that ISIS gangs will continue to meet the iron will of Manbij Military Council and they will be defeated. Nobody should have a doubt on this issue.

As part of these comprehensive attacks, ISIS gangs carried out 4 car bomb attacks on the Manbij-Jarablus road, but our forces responded quickly and repelled these attacks. Our forces also put up heroic resistance and repelled the gang attack from the direction of Al Sâcur to the northwest of Manbij. I can confidently say that our forces are in full control at all fronts, and continue to march house by house in the city center. To summarize, ISIS gangs are headed for their destruction.

Many think that the recent attacks are planned and organized. Do you agree? If the attacks are planned and organized, who is behind them?

We think that the recent ISIS attacks are planed and organized by the Turkish state and are a result of the partnership between ISIS and the Turkish state.

‘Operation Liberate Manbij’ which you have launched on June 1 has particularly bothered the Turkish state. Why do you think your operation would make Turkey uncomfortable?

We believe that everyone should be voicing this question in every platform. The answer to this question is very simple; Turkey used ISIS gangs as an instrument of its political interests in Syria. Turkey has particularly used ISIS against Kurdish people, and the war of Kobanê is the best example of the collaboration between Turkey and ISIS gangs.

Moreover, the Turkish state managed to survive the economic crisis, which brought countries such as Greece, Spain and Portugal to the brink of bankruptcy, through the economical relations it has developed with ISIS and Syrian National Coalition (SNC) gangs as well as the smuggling of historical artifacts. Manbij is a strategic town at the heart of these economical relations, because it is located on the road that connects Syria to Iraq. In a way, Manbij is the center of petroleum and historical artifact smuggling in Iraq and Syria.

The liberation of Manbij will inflict a heavy blow on the political and economical relations between ISIS and the Turkish state. For this reason, Turkey does not want Manbij Military Council to liberate such a strategic location, and is bothered by our forces' advance in the city. In order to prevent this advance and break the siege of Manbij, the Turkish state transports ISIS gangs to Jarablus over the border and organizes coordinated attacks. ISIS gangs do not have the power to carry out the recent attacks, and all they are currently concerned with is the protection of Jarablus and other regions.

Due to the intensity of the war, Manbij People’s Assembly has not received much attention. How do you think the assembly performed in liberated areas?

As you know, Manbij People’s Assembly has not received much attention due to the intensity of the war. However, this does not cast doubt on the existence of the assembly.

I can easily say that no international organization has sent any aid to Manbij People’s Assembly. Despite this and the current state of war, Manbij People’s Assembly has supplied the civilians that were saved from ISIS cruelty with life and medical supplies.

Manbij People’s Assembly is currently carrying out people’s meetings for reconstruction and mobilization efforts in liberated areas, and will expand these efforts in the near future.

Lastly, do you have a message?

Once again, we repeat our pledge to the comrades that have lost their lives during the ‘Operation Liberate Manbij;’ we are closer to victory than ever and will be victorious. We hope that the UN and other international organizations will support Manbij Military Council and Manbij People’s Assembly. This support would be for the security and peace of all the people living in the region, no matter what their religion, language, or race are.