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Manbij offensive

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Manbij Offensive (2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War,
the Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present),
and the American-led intervention in Syria
Date31 May 2016 – present (8 years, 2 months, 1 week and 1 day)
Location
Manbij, Manbij District, Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Result

Ongoing

  • The SDF captures 34 villages[3]
Belligerents

Syrian Democratic Forces
Air support:
CJTF–OIR[1][2]

Islamic State Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Commanders and leaders
Adnan Abu-Amjad[4]
(SDF general commander for the Manbij Military Council)
Abu Layla (DOW)[5]
(Northern Sun Battalion commander)
Syrian opposition Mohammed Abu Adil[6]
(FSA commander)
Habun Osman[7]
(SDF commander)		 Unknown
Units involved

Manbij Military Council[8]

YPG
YPJ

Military of ISIL

Strength

2,900–3,500[9][10]

Unknown
Casualties and losses
12 killed[10] 30 killed (per SOHR)[10]
100+ killed (per Al Masdar News)[11]
100–110 killed (per SDF)[6][12]
32 civilians killed[10]

The Manbij offensive is a military offensive operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture the city of Manbij in northeastern Aleppo Governorate from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Preparations

Main article: Tishrin Dam offensive

In late December 2015, the SDF captured the Tishrin Dam and crossed the Euphrates, capturing nearby towns and areas from ISIL, paving the way for a future offensive toward Manbij.

By 30 March 2016, the United States Air Force had conducted 25 airstrikes against ISIL.[2] On 2 April, 6 non-YPG factions of the Syrian Democratic Forces formed the Manbij Military Council to pave the way for the attack on Manbij. Most of the groups were part of the Army of Revolutionaries's Northern Sun Battalion, including the Euphrates Martyrs Brigade, the Jund al-Haramayn Brigade, and an non-Northern Sun Battalion group consisting of ethnic Turkmen called the Manbij Turkmen Brigade.[8][13][14]

On 3 April, the U.S. asked for Turkey’s support for the Manbij offensive, but Turkey had two demands in exchange for helping the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition. Turkey first demanded that the Syrian Arab tribes to be included in the Manbij operation should leave the Syrian Democratic Forces, which mostly consists of the People's Protection Units and the Women's Protection Units, and also the U.S. should increase its air strikes for groups Turkey supports.[15]

On 4 April, according to a Turkish source, a group of U.S. military and intelligence staff traveled to Turkey to work on a plan for an operation to liberate Manbij.[16]

On 5 April, a civilian council was formed in the town of Sarin by individuals originally from Manbij who fled when IS took over. The council consists of Arabs, Kurds, Syrian Turkmen, Circassians[17] and was created to administer Manbij after its capture in the future. Due to the US alliance with Turkey, which is hostile to SDF gains, the SDF was still pending for American support for the offensive.[18]

On 31 May, the US announced that they would support the offensive and send supporting troops to the area. A US official stated that "Syrian Arab fighters would be the ones to stabilize and secure it once Islamic State is gone".[19] The same day the offensive started, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated "most of the fighters were from the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) militia".[20] However, the next day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that around 3,000 men under the SDF were joining the operation and that some 2,500 of them were Arabs, while around 450 were from the YPG.[21] Furthermore, two Coalition spokesmen reiterated Arab fighters were leading the offensive, while Kurdish forces were in support, and one stated the reports that were suggesting the offensive was Kurdish-led were inaccurate.[9][10] Another report stated, per local activists, that 60 percent of the attacking force were Arabs from Manbij.[11] During the offensive, an SDF fighter gave his perspective as "we have Arabs, Kurds, nobody knows how many exactly, we all work under the SDF-forces".[22]

Turkey stated that it would not participate nor contribute to the offensive,[23] the reason being the involvement of Kurdish (YPG) fighters and because it was beyond the range of artillery stationed in Turkey.[24] Furthermore, Turkish intelligence and military units were to closely watch the operation in Manbij.[25] When the offensive started, the Washington Post reported it under the headline of "Ignoring Turkey, U.S. backs Kurds in drive against ISIS in Syria".[26]

The offensive

On 31 May, the Syrian Democratic Forces[27] captured three villages and the al-Gharra mountain from ISIL, south-east of the ISIL stronghold of Manbij. This advancement put the SDF and YPG within 15 kilometres of Manbij.[28]

Early on 1 June, the operation against ISIL at the Manbij area was launched.[29]

On 3 June, Abu Layla, a leading commander of the Manbij Military Council, was severely injured during the clashes with ISIL. He was subsequently moved to Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan for treatment, where remained in critical condition.[30] Abu Layla died of his wounds two days later.[5] Meanwhile, by this point, SDF forces had captured around 50 villages and a territory of almost 400 square kilometers from ISIL.[31]

On 4 June, the SDF captured another eight villages[7] and cut the road between Manbij and Al-Raqqah.[32][6] Heavy fighting continued on 5 June, five kilometers from Manbij.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b "Syria Kurds preparing Manbij offensive: report". Now. 30 March 2016.
  2. ^ a b "US airstrikes pave way for PYD, regime advance in northern Syria". Daily Sabah. 30 March 2016.
  3. ^ Syrian Troops Reach Raqqa Province, IS Fighting on 4 Fronts
  4. ^ "Kurds set up new civilian council for recapturing Syria's Manbij from ISIS". ARA News. 6 April 2016.
  5. ^ a b "Top Syrian Kurdish commander killed in push on IS-held Raqqa". AP. 5 June 2016.
  6. ^ a b c "SDF-led Manbij Military Council cuts off ISIS supply route between Raqqa and Manbij". ARA News. 5 June 2016.
  7. ^ a b "US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces advance against ISIS near Manbij, liberate eight villages". ARA News. 4 June 2016.
  8. ^ a b c d "The formation of a new Manbij Military Council to expel Daesh from Manbij, Aleppo". All4Syria. 2 April 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d US coalition spokesman: Arabs are leading Manbij campaign, not Kurds
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h US-backed Syrian fighters advance on IS bastion
  11. ^ a b c US backed rebels reach outskirts of ISIS stronghold
  12. ^ "ثلاثة أيام من الحملة خطوة بخطوة". ANHA. 4 June 2016.
  13. ^ "Military council formed and announced on Tishrin Dam, statement says: "We will make every effort to liberate Manbij"". Live UA Map. 2 April 2016.
  14. ^ "Several SDF factions have formed the military council for Manbij". Live UA Map. 2 April 2016.
  15. ^ "Turkey has two demands from US for support in Manbij operation: Sources". hurriyet.
  16. ^ "Turkey has two demands from US for support in Manbij operation: Sources". hurriyet.
  17. ^ Wilgenburg, Wladimir van. "Kurds, rebels in rat race to seize ISIS territory". now.mmedia.me. Retrieved 2016-05-30.
  18. ^ "Kurds set up new civilian council for recapturing Syria's Manbij from ISIS". ARA News. 6 April 2016.
  19. ^ "Exclusive: U.S.-backed Syria forces launch offensive for Manbij pocket - U.S. officials". Reuters. 1 June 2016.
  20. ^ "Syria conflict: US-backed fighters 'advance on IS-held Manbij'". BBC. 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  21. ^ "Turkish intel 'closely watching' anti-ISIL operation near its border: Erdoğan". hurriyet.
  22. ^ "SDF-led Manbij Military Council cuts off ISIS supply route between Raqqa and Manbij". Ara News. 2016-06-05. Retrieved 2016-06-05.
  23. ^ http://www.reuters.com/article/us-mideast-crisis-syria-turkey-manbij-idUSKCN0YN4HR
  24. ^ "Turkey not contributing to US-backed Syria operation near Manbij: Source". hurriyet.
  25. ^ "Turkish intel 'closely watching' anti-ISIL operation near its border: Erdoğan". hurriyet.
  26. ^ "Ignoring Turkey, U.S. backs Kurds in drive against ISIS in Syria". Washington Post. 2016-06-01. Retrieved 2016-06-03.
  27. ^ Turkey not contributing to U.S.-backed Syria operation near Manbij - source
  28. ^ "Syrian Democratic Forces capture new villages in Northern Syria". 31 May 2016.
  29. ^ "US, PYD hit ISIL in Syria, Turkey doesn't take part". hurriyet.
  30. ^ "Leading FSA commander heavily injured in Manbij operation, moved to Iraqi Kurdistan for treatment". ARA News. 4 June 2016.
  31. ^ Chris Tomson (3 June 2016). "Syrian Democratic Forces inch closer to Islamic State stronghold of Manbij". Al-Masdar News. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
  32. ^ SDF take control on more areas in Menbej countryside
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