Iraq News

SDF move towards centre of Syria's Manbij

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by coalition airstrikes, broke into western districts of Manbij on Thursday (June 23rd) and are now clearing out the last "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (ISIL) snipers before attempting to push further towards the centre, AFP reported Friday.

Inside the city, blown-out apartment blocks stand empty, as thousands of civilians had already fled, while wrecked cars blocked offside streets.

"The first phase -- surrounding Manbij -- is over, and now we are gradually entering the city itself," said Mervan Rojava, a fighter with the Arab-Kurd opposition alliance.

"There are fierce street battles in western neighbourhoods between our forces and ISIL," he said.

ISIL had planted car bombs across the city and had dug many tunnels to avoid the coalition airstrikes, another SDF fighter said.

SDF field commander Ali Kobane said the growing number of car bombs driven by suicide attackers showed ISIL's desperation.

"ISIL is collapsing," he said. "This is why it is resorting to using car bombs, but our forces are patient," Kobane said. "Even if ISIL has prepared a huge number of car bombs, it will be to no avail."

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