Syrian Army Highly on Alert to Counter Turkish Troops’ Possible Operation in Manbij

The sources said that the Damascus forces, deployed in Manbji, are on alert to counter any attack by the Turkish soldiers and Ankara-backed militants.

The sources went on to say that the Army Command has ordered Presidential Guard Forces and other Damascus soldiers to give a crushing response to any military operation by the Ankara forces in Manbij region.

They further said that the Ankara forces have started preparing for a military operation in Manbij after the Syrian Army’s arrival in the region.

The sources quoted Ziad Hajji Obeid, Commander of the militants of Turkey-backed National Army, as saying that a sum of 15,000 militants from his group have prepared to enter Manbij, adding that almost 25,000 gunmen of the Ankara-backed Free Army have been preparing to enter the towns of Tal Abyadh and Ra’as al-Ein.

The Syrian Armed Forces’ Headquarters announced in a statement on Friday that the Damascus forces entered Manbij in Aleppo province and hoisted the country’s national flag over the key town.

The statement by the Syrian Armed Forces’ Headquarters came after the Syrian Democratic Forces asked for the deployment of the government troops.

The Syrian Army entered Manbij town after the People’s Protection Units asked the Syrian Armed Forces to enter the strategic town.

SDF Spokesman Ceyhan Ahmad also confirmed the Syrian Army’s arrival in Manbij town.

The local sources in Northern Syria announced that the Ankara-backed militants are fortifying their positions around Manbij in a bid to attack the strategic town concurrent with US troops’ withdrawal from there.

Manbij is in a critical situation after US President Donald Trump declared US forces’ withdrawal from Manbij town.

In relevant development on Thursday, residents of Manbij called on Damascus to deploy army forces in the strategic town in Northeastern Aleppo.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted Mojib al-Rahman al-Dandan, the representative of Manbij in the Syrian parliament, as saying on Thursday that as Damascus and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are holding talks on deployment of army forces in the town, the residents are also strongly pressuring the officials to this end.

He added that after US President Donald Trump’s declaration of withdrawal of American forces from Syria, the US army retreated from Manbij to Tishrin dam, noting that Manbij residents want immediate deployment of the Syrian army in the town.

Al-Dandan, meantime, said that the SDF leaders are also involved in internal differences as some intend to leave Syria for France and call for the establishment of a no-fly zone and some others want talks with the Syrian government.

He underlined the possibility for the imminent deployment of the Syrian army forces in the region, and said given the strategic importance of Manbij which is the main route to the Forat (Euphrates) dam, the army will be able to liberate all areas in Eastern Syria after regaining the region.