EXCLUSIVE: French YPG fighter: 'Paris attackers trained in Manbij'

MANBIJ, Syrian Kurdistan (Kurdistan24) – A French fighter who enrolled with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) disclosed on Tuesday the route that the Islamic State (IS) insurgents take from Europe to Syria and vice versa.

Hubert is a French fighter who joined the YPG-led SDF 10 months ago and fought against IS in Syria’s northern town of Manbij.

The foreign fighter said the IS insurgents who conducted suicide attacks were trained in Manbij.

“The [perpetrators] of the Paris blasts came to Syria through Turkey, trained in Manbij, and then returned to Europe from Turkey to blow themselves up,” he said.

Regarding the battle in Manbij, Hubert said he had lost five friends who were also foreign fighters.

“The blood of the martyrs in Manbij led to a great victory because it was against [IS], the enemy of humanity, not only the enemy of the people in Syria and the Middle East,” Hubert said.

He carried a picture containing a list of the people who lost their lives in the Paris attacks which took place in November 2015.

“I fought for those innocent people who lost their lives in Paris and for all humanity,” he affirmed.

The YPG-led, US-backed SDF launched the Manbij operation on May 31 and fully liberated the town on Aug. 12 after a two-month battle.

Moreover, US Presidential Special Envoy Brett McGurk had previously stated IS had lost over 50 percent of its territory in Syria and Iraq.

McGurk also pointed out that the insurgents had lost the morale of fighting and would continue to lose control in other areas.

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany
(Redwan Bezar conducted the interview in Manbij)