“Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant” (ISIL) militants clashed with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Syrian town of Manbij over the weekend, pursuing their defence of the stronghold and ignoring a deadline to leave, AFP reported.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported at least five SDF fighters, 18 ISIL militants and eight civilians were killed in fighting on Sunday (July 24th).

The SDF penetrated the town one month ago but have since been hindered by an ISIL counter-offensive.

On Saturday (July 23rd), ISIL fighters appeared to ignore a 48-hour ultimatum to leave issued by the Manbij Military Council, a key SDF member.

"The 48-hour period is over, and there will be no more opportunities like this one for ISIL,” a commander from the council said.

ISIL has "not responded" to the SDF's offer and instead "attacked our positions", he said.

The commander pledged that his forces would "intensify our attacks on their remaining positions".

The council's spokesman, Sherfan Darwish, stressed in an online statement that SDF forces in Manbij "are committed to securing safe passage to the best of their ability for any civilian able to flee ISIL’s brutality".

Thousands of civilians have already fled Manbij, which is in Syria's northern Aleppo province.