Forces in Manbij say that they will resist possible Turkish attack

“We affirm that we will spare no effort to prevent the attacks.”

Wladimir van Wilgenburg 2022/07/16 18:54

A fighter of the Manbij Military Council (MMC) on the frontline with Turkish backed groups (Photo: MMC).

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) –The General Command of the Manbij Military Council (MMC) in a press conference on Saturday underlined that their forces will resist any Turkish operation.

“Over the past years, our forces have strengthened their defences and military readiness, and we have a large defensive structure in all respects. We will expand the scope of the resistance and persevere to prevent Turkish incursion,” the Manbij Military Council said in a statement.

“We affirm that we will spare no effort to prevent the attacks,” it said.

Since May, Turkish officials have repeatedly said that they would launch an operation in Tal Rifaat and Manbij. The US has often warned Turkey not to launch any new cross-border operation.

The Manbij Military Council, backed by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), liberated the northern Arab majority Syrian city from ISIS with US support in 2016 in one of the bloodiest urban battles against ISIS in Syria.

Manbij lies on the Syrian-Turkish border and is connected to Turkish-occupied Afrin through the M4 international highway.

If Turkey would attack Manbij, it would be difficult for Kurdish forces to reinforce their positions in Tal Rifaat at the same time.

The Manbij Military Council also confirmed that the “Syrian army has strengthened its forces on the borders and frontlines, and these forces will strengthen their presence with qualitative weapons along the frontline, in coordination with the Russian side.”

SDF Commander-in-Chief Mazloum Abdi told reporters in a press conference yesterday that they have accepted the Syrian army to reinforce its troops near Kobani, Manbij and some border areas to protect the Syrian borders.

Syrian Kurdish officials have praised Damascus for taking a tougher stance against Turkish threats.

Damascus in recent months has repeatedly voiced their concerns and opposition over Turkish plans to launch a new cross-border operation, while the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) have openly supported Turkish plans and announced its readiness for such a new operation.

Edited by NA