The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Egyptian sources and of the SDF deny the rumors of the Qatari and Turkish media about the visit of Egyptian and Emirati officers to Manbij and future role of forces of both countries in the east of Euphrates

Reliable Egyptian sources and reliable sources of the Syria Democratic Forces denied the information published in Arab and regional media, about an Egyptian-Gulf role in the east of Euphrates crisis and, and the threats in the area of a Turkish military operation that has been talked about for weeks, and in the details obtained by the Syrian Observatory: reliable Egyptian sources and reliable sources from the Syria Democratic Forces confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that what was published in the Qatari and Turkish media -quoting Israeli media- is completely false, and that there are no steps towards what the media mentioned, as the media reported that Egyptian officers and other Emiratis officers have visited Manbij city and conducted a reconnaissance tour in the area; in a prelude to deploying Egyptian-Emirati forces in the area with an American air cover, replacing the US Forces, for whom the US President issued on the 19th of December 2018 the decision to withdraw them from the area, and that the presence of these forces will pave the way for a wider Arab military presence in terms of the presence of other Gulf countries, such as the Saudi Arabia, to confront the Iranian presence.

These published reports came in conjunction with the visit of the Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar to the Syrian territory, within the areas controlled by the Turkish forces in the Syrian north, where Akar visited the so-called shrine of Sulaiman Shah and inspected the Turkish forces operating in the area. Sources from the leadership of the Syria Democratic Forces confirmed that they strongly welcome the Egyptian role in preventing the Turkish invasion of the east Euphrates area and the Syrian north, where the area controlled by Syria Democratic Forces, and discuss a solution to manage the north-east of Syria.

The Syrian Observatory monitored that the US Forces continue patrolling within the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers and ​​Manbij area, while the Syrian Observatory monitored yesterday that the regime forces, who were deployed last Friday on the contact lines in the northern and western countryside of Manbij, between the forces of Manbij Military Council and Jaysh al-Thowwar on one hand, and between the Turkish forces and the Syrian factions loyal to them on the other, have completed their withdrawal from the northern and north-western areas of Manbij countryside, where they are now only present in the western countryside of Manbij specifically in Arima area and other areas to its west and north-west, so that there will be no frictions between them (the regime forces) and between the American patrols in the area, which are still conducting patrols in Manbij countryside, despite the Turkish threats of carrying out a military operation in the area.