Seven Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighters have been killed in an attack in the northern Syrian city of Manbij, its military council said on Tuesday (March 26th).
Manbij is a former "Islamic State of Iraq and Syria" (ISIS) stronghold that is now ruled by a military council affiliated with the SDF which declared victory over ISIS in its last redoubt in eastern Syria on Saturday.
At around midnight on Monday, gunmen opened fire at fighters manning a checkpoint at the entrance to the city, killing seven, the council said.
ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack in a statement published on its social media channels on Tuesday, AFP reported.
Council spokesman Sherfan Darwish said it could be a revenge attack by ISIS sleeper cells.
"After the victory over ISIS, we have entered the phase of sleeper cells," Darwish said.
"These sleeper cells are being activated and carrying out attacks but we will foil their operations," he said.
