The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

More than 2 months after the first bombing of its kind that killed members from the International Coalition in Manbij, a cell linked to the bombing is arrested

Aleppo Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: several reliable sources informed the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the monitoring and investigation operations have brought the security forces and intelligence in Manbij area to arrest 4 people; who are accused to be connected to the first-of-its-kind bombing in Manbij city by targeting an International Coalition patrol at al-Omaraa Restaurant, at noon on Wednesday, the 16th of January 2019, where the arrest of the cell comes about 48 hours after the end of the security operation by Manbij Military Council and the security forces in Manbij city and its surroundings in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, which goal was to arrest sleeper and active cells in the city and its countryside, who carried out bombings and explosions targeted the area in recent days and weeks, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the security and military forces -who raided houses in the city and searched them- arresting tens of members of these cells and those accused of belonging to them and working with them, the trusted sources confirmed that the were about 100 arrested people and they were taken to the security branches for interrogation, and the Syrian Observatory published during the hours of last night that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the security forces and the forces of Manbij Military Council started a campaign to sweep Manbij city and its countryside, against the sleeper cells operating in the area, and reliable sources confirmed that the sweeping includes all cells that are affiliated to the regime, the “Islamic State” organization, Turkey and the factions of the “Euphrates Shield”, where tens of these cells are expected to be arrested after the pace of security chaos has escalated within Manbij city and its vicinity, especially after escalating the assassinations in the area and the bombings and booby-trapping some of which targeted the International Coalition, where the Syrian Observatory published on the 24th of February 2019, that it obtained information from several reliable sources that sleeper cells are preparing to carry out operations in the east Euphrates area, against the Syria Democratic Forces and their security forces in their controlled areas east of Euphrates and in Manbij, and the reliable sources confirmed to the Observatory that these cells belong to the regime and linked to Turkey, the sources warned of operations that these cells may carry out against personalities, fighters, and leaders of the Syria Democratic Forces and the democratic self-administration. This information came in conjunction with an assassination attempt against a figure working at the Self-administration relations office in al-Qameshly area, where he was shot by unidentified gunmen, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the escalation of targeting east of Euphrates area, especially in al-Raqqah and in the countryside of Deir Ezzor province by these cells.

Also an explosion was heard in Manbij city on the northeastern sector of Aleppo countryside on Wednesday morning of the 13th of March 2019, it turned out to be caused by a bomb explosion at al-Sa’en road while a military vehicle of the factions of the Syria Democratic Forces was passing in the city, which is control by the Syria Democratic Forces, causing material damage but no information about casualties, and the Syrian Observatory published on the 9th of March 2019 that the SOHR obtained information from several reliable sources, that the bombing which took place in Manbij city on Saturday afternoon, the 9th of March 2019, targeted 2 vehicles of the International Coalition Forces, in Manbij area at the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, and in the details confirmed by several reliable source for the Syrian Observatory after investigating the incident by the Observatory: the sources confirmed that the suicide bomber blew himself up with a booby-trapped car between two cars of the International Coalition, one of them was a vehicle and the other one was a pick-up car in which escorts from the Syria Democratic Forces were riding, in addition to a civilian car that was close From the place of explosion, where the suicide bomber blew himself up between the Coalition vehicle and the pick-up, which injured 2 of the patrol escorts and caused material damage in both patrol cars also civilians were injured in the third car, and this explosion comes about 7 weeks after the explosion by a suicide bomber, Which targeted the International Coalition in Manbij city and killed coalition members, civilians, and escorts of SDF members, the Syrian Observatory published on the 18th of January 2018 that Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained information from several reliable sources about the findings of the follow-up operations on the bombing that took place in Manbij city, on the 16th of January 2019, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory: the person who appeared in the video of surveillance cameras in the vicinity of al-Omaraa restaurant -where the explosion took place-, took a woman to the restaurant and left her to detonate herself less than a minute before fleeing from the bombing site, the explosion killed 4 members of the International Coalition and 5 of their escorts, in addition to 10 other civilians from the city’s residents, the sources confirmed that the search for the man is still underway, and it is not known whether he is still hiding in the city or if he was able to escape to the outside areas controlled by forces of military Manbij Council in the northeastern sector of Aleppo countryside.

Results of the investigations by intelligence of the area which coincided with investigations conducted by the FBI; came in conjunction with the arrival of new military reinforcements of US Forces and the International Coalition, where they arrived on buses to Manbij city and the Syrian Observatory learned that they were more than 90 members, that came in conjunction with the fly of helicopters and reconnaissance drones in Manbij city and its vicinity, in an attempt to monitor armed cells belong to the “Islamic State” Organization or other parties in the city and its countryside, the Syrian Observatory published hours ago that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained information from private sources who confirmed that investigations are underway at a high level in the case of the Manbij city bombing, which took place at noon on Wednesday the 16th of January 2018, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory: a team from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI arrived in Manbij city during the past hours, and began to investigate the bombing of the al-Omaraa restaurant in the middle of the city, which is controlled by forces of Manbij Military Council and the International Coalition forces,

The Syrian Observatory published on the 22nd of February 2019, that it monitored targeting by unknown gunmen for a patrol of Manbij Military Council at Shwiha Road north of Manbij city, which is under the control of the Syria Democratic Forces in the northeastern sector of Aleppo countryside, which injured 2 of the Manbij Military Council, and the Syrian Observatory published on the 5th of February 2019 that an explosion was heard this morning in Manbij city in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo, which is controlled by Manbij Military Council, it was caused by an explosive device in the city on Jarabulus road, which caused material damage but no information about casualties, and the explosion comes as part of a series of bombings that target Manbij and Syria Democratic Forces, and is considered the 4th bombing that hit Manbij city since the suicide bombing of the 16th of January 2019, where an explosion was heard this morning, Saturday, the second of February 2018, at Manbij city in the northeastern countryside of Aleppo city, where the Syrian Observatory monitored an explosive of an IED in a car belongs to the education authority in the city on al-Sa’en road, and near al-Shuhada’a cemetery in Manbij, which killed a person and injured 2 others, one of whom was severely injured, and this targeting comes within the escalation of assassinations, bombings, and attempted killings by cells some of which loyal to Turkey and others belongs to the “Islamic State” Organization operating in Manbij area, which is controlled by the Manbij Military Council, and this comes hours after a violent explosion occurred on the evening of yesterday Friday, the 1st of February 2019, that a violent explosion rocked Manbij city in the north-eastern sector of Aleppo countryside, today evening the 1st of February 2019, it turned out that it was caused by the explosion of a high-explosive IED in the city, and in the detains obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights; a high-explosive IED was detonated remotely, today evening near the house of the chief of Manbij Military Council’s forces affiliated to the Syria Democratic Forces, where the IED was detonating while the vehicle of a commander in Manbij Military Council was passing, and reliable sources informed the Syrian Observatory form Human Rights that the chief of Manbij Military Council was not at home at the time when the explosion took place, where he has left his house since the bombings and targeting operations started to escalate in Manbij, while the violent explosion resulted in the fall of injuries as well as causing material damage, the SOHR also monitored the flight of warplanes of the International Coalition over the area directly after the explosion.