A wildfire broke out in Manbij as a result of heavy artillery attacks by occupying forces. According to the military council of the city, several hectares of fields ended up on fire after targeted attacks by the Turkish army and its jihadist allies. In the affected area, which belongs to the village of Saydiyah in north-west Manbij, more than two dozen shells were fired within a few minutes. ‘The source of the attacks was the base in Şêx Nasir,’ said the military council. Most of the attacks in the region are carried out from the Turkish military base, which is located a few minutes' drive south-west of Saydiyah.

Both the danger of further bombing and unfavourable wind conditions made fire-fighting measures impossible.

The canton of Manbij, which is part of the Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria (DAANES), has been under constant attack by Turkish jihadist invaders for months. The main target of the attacks is agricultural land in densely populated residential areas. By destroying the livelihoods of the population, the Turkish state aims to expel the rightful inhabitants. Manbij was named by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2022, alongside Tel Rifat, as the first target for a new Turkish invasion of northern and eastern Syria and is meant to be integrated into the illegal occupation zone according to the wishes of the Turkish regime.