Heavy fighting erupts in Manbij as Syrian opposition forces launch offensive
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has reported considerable fatalities in the current conflict, with 17 SDF members and 9 Turkish-backed opposition fighters killed in the fighting thus far.
Dec. 9, 2024
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - In a significant development that could suggest further escalation of regional tensions in Syria, Syrian opposition forces have begun military operations in Manbij.
This is their second major offensive against Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) controlled territories after their successful operation to remove the Assad regime.
According to Kurdistan24's reporting, heavy fighting continues between SDF and opposition forces, with the latter incapable of establishing control over the strategic town.
This conflict comes after the opposition's latest seizure of Tall Rifat, where SDF forces were forced to pull out following opposition advances in Aleppo province.
The situation has also attracted comments from Turkish political figures, with the leader of Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Devlet Bahceli stating during a parliamentary meeting that military operations would continue beyond Tall Rifat toward Manbij.
Bahceli explicitly classified the PKK, YPG, and PYD as "determined enemies of Turkey," suggesting continued Turkish support for opposition operations in the region.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) has reported considerable fatalities in the current conflict, with 17 SDF members and 9 Turkish-backed opposition fighters killed in the fighting thus far.
This toll underlines the intensity of the clash for control of this strategically important town in northern Syria.
This escalation signifies a serious change in the region's power dynamics, as opposition forces, fresh from their successful campaign against the Assad regime in Damascus, now turn their eyes to SDF-controlled territories in northern Syria.