Manbij Military Council initiated a military campaign yesterday to liberate the city of Manbij which remains under ISIS occupation since 2014. The operation is advancing from two major directions; the Tishrin town in the south and the Qereqozak village line in the north.

SDF combatant Şoreş Şeddadé, member of the Martyr Reşo Battalion joining the operation from the second arm that started advancing from the area of the Qereqozak Bridge over the Euphrates at night, spoke to ANF.

'PEOPLE ASKED FOR HELP FROM OUR FORCES'

Şeddadé remarked that the operation to liberate Manbij has been initiated upon a strong demand from locals whom -he underlined- they will liberate from ISIS atrocity.

Şeddadé told that; "We as Martyr Reşo Battalion came from Qamishlo's Anteri to support the operation to liberate Manbij from ISIS gangs. The people of Manbij are living under ISIS cruelty for the past two years and they have no more strength left to endure this atrocity. They appealed to the Manbij Military Council and SDF forces via phone and letters, asking us to save them from ISIS atrocity. We are going to liberate the people and lands of Manbij.”

Şeddadé noted that international coalition forces are contributing to the operation with aerial support, and invited the locals to show more courage and join the forces in the operation to fight and defeat the ISIS.

'ISIS GANGS HAVE SUFFERED MANY CASUALTIES'

Another SDF fighter Demhad Tırbesipi who is also joining the operation from Qereqozax direction, told that they also came from Qamishlo to support the operation launched by the Manbij Military Council.

Tırbesipi said; "We crossed the Euphrates with boats because the Qereqozax Bridge had been blown up by the ISIS gangs. All the hills overlooking the river were under the control of the gang groups. Clashes erupted upon our crossing to the other side of the bridge, and gangs were forced to retreat and flee as we made advances. They attacked us with missiles but we didn't suffer any casualties. Gang groups, however, suffered many losses. They had formed strong positions on the hills, dug tunnels connecting the areas where they were deployed, and laid mines everywhere. Still, we have seized the control of all the hills we targeted, and all the ammunition in these positions."