An alert situation in Manbij countryside as the Turkish Forces inform their loyal factions in the Syrian north and Idlib to send lists to participate in Manbij and East Euphrates operations
Aleppo province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned from several reliable sources that a tense situation prevails Manbij area, mobilization and preparations, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: the Turkish Forces informed the factions operating in the Syrian north and in Idlib Province; to send lists of fighters to participate in the processes of Manbij and East Euphrates, amid anticipation of what will happen at the Moscow meeting, the Syrian Observatory learned that the forces of Manbij Military Council and Jaysh al-Thowwar, have put their military forces on alert in Manbij and its countryside, in conjunction with movements seen by the pro-Turkey factions within areas of the “Euphrates Shield” Operation Forces opposite Manbij, where vehicles were seen approaching the contact lines with Manbij Military Council and Jaysh al-Thowwar, amid fears of starting a military operation at any time.
The Syrian Observatory published hours ago that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that the pro-Turkish Syrian the rebel and Islamic factions, who are located in the northeastern sector of Aleppo Province close to areas of presence of the Manbij Military Council Forces and Jaysh al-Thowwar, are continuing their preparations to launch an attack on positions of the forces of Manbij Military Council and Jaysh al-Thowwar, who control Manbij city and its countryside, after the deployment of the regime forces this morning on the entire contact lines between Manbij Military Council and Jaysh al-Thowwar, and between the Turkish Forces and factions loyal to them, in the northern and western countryside of Manbij, and reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the preparations and threats continue by the factions, to carry out an attack and control Manbij area completely within hours and expelling the force that control it, and this comes despite the absence of Turkish orders to escalate or to carry out any attack on the area.
Reliable sources also confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that Jaysh al-Thowwar and forces of Manbij Military Council have not withdrawn from the area at all, also the US Forces continue to be present in the area.
The Syrian Observatory published hours ago that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained information from several reliable sources; who confirmed that the regime forces started to deploy in Manbij countryside, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory: tens of members of regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, of who arrived at the outskirts of Manbij countryside, began to deploy on the contact lines between Jaysh al-Thowwar and Manbij Military Council, who control Manbij city and large parts of its countryside, and between the Turkish Forces and the rebel and Islamic factions loyal to them, and in other areas Manbij countryside, this deployment comes after Turkey postponed the military operation of Manbij, after the continuous threats to launch an attack on Manbij area and east Euphrates area to control them.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published yesterday that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the arrival of tens of vehicles carrying hundreds of members of the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them, to the northeastern country of Aleppo, reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that these reinforcements reached areas near the countryside of Manbij, the sources told the Syrian Observatory that the arrival of these numbers of the regime forces may come within the framework of a consensus about deploying forces of the regime on the contact lines, between the control areas of forces of Manbij Military Council and Jaysh al-Thowwar, and between the Turkish forces and their loyal factions, while the arrival of these reinforcements to the area comes after the arrival of regular patrols of Russian Forces al-Arima area, in which the regime forces have been present for months, while the Syrian Observatory monitored the continuation of cautious anticipation by Manbij Military Council and the Jaysh al-Thowwar, and the continuation of US Forces in patrolling the area after the decline of the Turkish threats, while the Turkish forces and factions loyal to them are still in their locations.
The Syrian Observatory published yesterday that the Syrian Observatory learned that the US patrols are still roaming Manbij city and countryside, along with awaiting the start of joint Turkish-American patrols on al-Sajur line, which is the contact line between the areas that are controlled by “Euphrates Shield” Operation and the controlled areas of Manbij Military Council.
Reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that the American report about the poll they made in Manbij city over two consecutive days was sent to the US presidency, to see the people’s refusal of the entry of Turkish forces to their areas, and the alert came after the arrival of a Russian patrol to al-Arima area, in which the regime forces are present at the fuel station in the town, also forces of Manbij Military Council has present there for months, where the Russian forces returned to the area after withdrawing their patrols previously from the area.
Sources told the Syrian Observatory that threats reached the inhabitants of Manbij by former fighters of the “Islamic State” Organization, of who left the fighting and then joined the forces of “Euphrates Shield,” where they threatened to retaliate from all those who stood against them in Manbij previously, and that was accompanied by the emergence of a leader of Ahrar al-Sharqiyyah faction holding a knife in his hand during yesterday’s alert, threatening what he called “the atheist Kurds”, also the past 24 hours witnessed a situation of confusion in the ranks of the factions from the orders they received to prepare for the start of the operation and the counter orders, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored yesterday US patrols in the western countryside of Manbij, near the contact lines with the areas of the “Euphrates Shield” factions and the Turkish forces.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published on the 9th of march 2017 that calm prevails Arima area in the west of Manbij city and east of al-Bab city, in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, after the entry of forces of regime’s border guards and the entry of Russian forces to the town of Arima and to the villages on the contact points between areas controlled by Manbij Military Council and between areas controlled by Turkish forces and factions of “Euphrates Shield” operation, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was informed by several reliable and local sources that Russian forces and members of the border guards have spread in the villages of Jeb Hamra, al-Boghaz Khaldah and Korhyouk in the western and southern countryside of Arima, in conjunction with the spread of vehicles carrying the Syrian flags internationally recognized and used by the regime in villages at the countryside of Arima town which is adjacent to the eastern countryside of al-Bab city.
It is noteworthy that the contact points between the western and southwestern parts of al-Arima and the eastern countryside of al-Bab; witnessed clashes during the last days and weeks between forces of Manbij Military Council against the Turkish Forces and the rebel and Islamic factions of “Euphrates Shield”, and the clashes were accompanied by exchange of artillery and rocket shelling, targeting, and destruction of vehicles of both parties, which caused casualties in their ranks.