Ankara and Free Syrian Army group attack Syrian Democratic Forces

The Turkish army and allied FSA militants attacked villages held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militants near the city of Manbij
Wednesday, 01 March 2017 18:29

The Turkish army and allied Free Syrian Army (FSA) terrorist group on Wednesday attacked villages held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) militants near the city of Manbij in northern Syria, a spokesman for the SDF said.

The attack focused on a string of villages controlled by the Manbij Military Council, part of the U.S.-backed SDF alliance, the spokesman for the Manbij Military Council told Reuters.

Sharfan Darwish told Reuters the villages were located 27 km (17 miles) west of Manbij.  The FSA attacked the villages of Gorhiko, Holash, Khalida, 29 km southwest of Manbij, faced with a military response from the Manbij Military Council, the Kurdish Hawar News Agency ANHA reported, describing the clashes as "intense".

It also claimed that the Islamic State jihadist group have also "simultaneously" attacked the two villages of Mustariha and Jadida, south of Manbij, resulting in ongoing clash between both sides. 

Turkish President Tayyip Erdoğan said this week Manbij was the next target of the Turkish campaign in northern Syria. The SDF, which includes the Syrian Kurdish Peoples' Protection Units (YPG) militants, are seen by Washington as the most effective force in the fight against IS but are condemned by Turkey. Ankara asserts YPG as "terrorists" because of their links to armed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).