Thu Jun 16, 2016 21:37:19
US-backed forces waging an offensive against the Islamic State-held city of Manbij in northern Syria appealed for international assistance for those fleeing the fighting on Tuesday as the forces tightened their encirclement of the city.
The push from US-backed Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) comes at the same time as other enemies of Islamic State (Daesh / ISIS / ISIL), including the governments of Syria and Iraq, also launched major offensives on other fronts, in what amounts to the most sustained pressure on the militants since they proclaimed their caliphate in 2014.
Footage released by the Kurdish Hawar News Agency (ANHA) showed heavy bombardment in a village near Manbij on Tuesday.
It said that fighters loyal to the military council of Manbij hit various Islamic State (Daesh / ISIS / ISIL) targets and "liberated" Al Hemduniye village, which lies two kilometers away from the north of Manbij.
The SDF alliance launched the advance two weeks ago to seize Islamic State's last territory on the Syria-Turkey border and cut the self-declared caliphate off from the world.
The terrorist group formed last year and includes the powerful Kurdish YPG militia as well as Arab fighters.
Around 1,100 people have already fled Islamic State-held Manbij this week into SDF-held territory, braving Islamic State (Daesh / ISIS / ISIL) sniper fire on the city's edges, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
Many who had fled the city told Reuters that Islamic State fighters were trying to prevent people leaving.
One person told Reuters Islamic State was arresting people suspected of collaborating with the SDF.
Having seized control of the last route into Manbij on Friday, the SDF has yet to enter the town.
S/SH 11
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