Syria: Turkey Dispatches ISIL Terrorists to Manbij Outskirts

TEHRAN (defapress)- The Turkish Army has sent ISIL and Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at (the Levant Liberation Board or the Al-Nusra Front) terrorists to Manbij in Northeastern Aleppo to take part in its imminent operation in the region after the Syrian Army's arrival in Manbij, a media outlet reported on Saturday.

News ID: 74639

Date: 29 December 2018 - 14:20

Xeber 24 news website, affiliated to the Kurdish militia, reported that a large number of ISIL and Tahrir al-Sham terrorists are accompanying Turkish army convoys deployed in Manbij region in Northern Syria.

It further said that the Turkish army had used the ISIL in the Afrin occupation operation as well.

The news website went on to say that the Turkish army forwarded a military convoy to Eastern Aleppo via Jarabulus border-crossing after arrival of the Syrian Army in Manbij.

Another military convoy of the Turkish Army has been dispatched to Ilbaili region in Kilis province at border with Syria.

In the meantime, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that Ankara is sending a growing number of forces to Manbij outskirts.

The Syrian Armed Forces' Headquarters announced in a statement on Friday that the Syrian Army entered Manbij in Aleppo province and hoisted the country's national flag over the key town.

The statement by the Syrian Armed Forces' Headquarters came after the Syrian Democratic Forces asked for the deployment of the government troops.

The Syrian Army entered Manbij town after the People's Protection Units asked the Syrian Armed Forces to enter the strategic town.

SDF Spokesman Ceyhan Ahmad also confirmed the Syrian Army's arrival in Manbij town.

The local sources in Northern Syria announced that the Ankara-backed militants are fortifying their positions around Manbij in a bid to attack the strategic town concurrent with US troops' withdrawal from there.

Manbij is in a critical situation after US President Donald Trump declared US forces' withdrawal from Manbij town.

Meantime, the militant groups backed by Turkey claimed that they have started moving towards the strategic town of Manbij in Aleppo province just hours after the Syrian army deployed in the town.

The Ankara-backed militants accompanied by Turkish Army are moving towards Manbij town in Northern Aleppo, sources close to the militant groups said.

The movement by the Turkey-backed militant groups and their military operations against the Kurdish forces are taking place as the Syrian Army took full control of Manbij after reaching an agreement with Kurdish forces.

Meanwhile, reports coming from Jarablus border (Syria-Turkey zero border point) indicate that a new Turkish military convoy together with heavy military equipment has crossed the Turkish border into Syria.

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