Turkish forces shell villages near Manbij

In addition to Ain Issa, Til Temir and Shehba, Manbij is also in the focus of Turkish occupation forces in northern Syria. On Saturday, 35 shells hit the outskirts of the northern Syrian town.

The media center of the Manbij Military Council reported that Turkish forces shelled villages in the northwestern countryside of Manbij with over 35 artillery shells from a base near the city in northern Syria on Saturday.

The aggression, which lasted about thirty minutes, began at 10 p.m. and targeted the villages of Jamusiyah, Umm Julud, Umm Adasat and Jabal al-Saydiyah northwest of Manbij. The extent of the damage is not yet known.

Manbij is repeatedly under artillery fire from the Turkish army and allied militias. The local military council, which is a component of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), is responsible for defending the region.

For over two and a half years, the ISIS terrorist militia ruled over the population in Manbij. On June 1, 2016, the SDF, together with the Manbij Military Council, launched an offensive at the Tishrin Dam to liberate the city. The battle for Manbij lasted a total of 75 days. It was a complete success, in which YPJ (Women’s Defense Units) fighters in particular played a major role. On August 15, 2016, the Manbij Military Council announced victory over ISIS. Since then, the city has been administered by a Civil Council in which all population groups and, above all, women are represented.