Manbij offensive (2016)

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Manbij offensive (2016)
Part of the Syrian Civil War,
the Syrian Kurdish–Islamist conflict (2013–present),
and the American-led intervention in Syria
Map of Manbij offensive (2016).png
Map showing SDF territorial gains during the offensive
Date 31 May 2016 – present
(4 weeks and 2 days)
Location Shahba region, Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Result

Ongoing
Belligerents

Syrian Democratic Forces
Supported by:
CJTF–OIR[1][2]

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

 Turkey (YPG claim)[5][6]
Commanders and leaders
Abu Layla (DOW)[13]
(Northern Sun Battalion commander)
Abu Adel[14]
(Northern Sun Battalion commander)
Adnan Abu Amjad[15]
(Council general commander & Northern Sun Battalion deputy commander)[16]
Mıstefa Minbic[17]
(Army of Revolutionaries commander)
Haqi Kobani[18]
(YPG commander)[19]
Merxas Kobanê[20]
(SDF commander)
Mohammed Abu Amdil[21]
(SDF commander)
Habun Osman[22]
(SDF commander)
Şervan Afrin[23]
(SDF commander)
Diyar Şexler[23]
(SDF commander)
Heval Shiyar[24]
(SDF commander)		 Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Osama al-Tunisi †[25]
(Emir of Manbij)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Dahham al-Hussein †[26]
(Emir of Um Mayyal)
Unknown Russian emir[27]
Abu Hamza al-Ansari †[28]
(ISIL senior leader)
Abu al-Hayjaa †[29]
(Hisba police chief of Manbij)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Abu Huzaifa al-Ordoni †[30]
(ISIL field commander)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Hasan Rimo †[30]
(pro-ISIL tribal leader)
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Unknown Moroccan ISIL field commander †[31]
Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant Leading Sharia official of Manbij †[31][32]
Units involved

Syrian Democratic Forces

International Freedom Battalion[35]

Asayish[37]

United States U.S. SOF[38][39][40]
United Kingdom British SOF[41]
France French SOF[42]
Germany German KSK[3] (denied by Germany)[4]

Military of ISIL
Strength

2,900–12,000 fighters[43][44][45]

Germany c. 50[47]

Several thousand fighters
Casualties and losses
98–157 killed[50][51] (1 MLKP)[36]
100+ wounded[52] (4 U.S.)[53]		 508–1,800 killed[50][54]
118 civilians killed[50] and 900 abducted[55]
~20,000 civilians displaced[8][56]
Timeline
Civil uprising
in Syria (March–August 2011)
Start of insurgency (September 2011 – April 2012)
Cease-fire and civil war (May 2012 – December 2013)
Rise of the Islamists (January–September 2014)
United States-led intervention (September 2014 – September 2015)
Russian intervention (September 2015 – March 2016)
Civil war continues (March 2016–present)

The Manbij offensive, also known as Operation Martyr and Commander Faysal Abu Layla, is a 2016 military offensive operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces to capture the city of Manbij from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and eventually, the ISIL-held areas through Al-Bab to Herbel, in the area referred to as the "Manbij Pocket"[57] in the northern Aleppo Governorate.[58] The main goal of the offensive is to cut off ISIL's last supply routes from the outside world, and to prevent ISIL from moving fighters out of Syria to carry out terrorist attacks in Turkey and Europe.[39][59][60] During the offensive, the US-led Coalition conducted over 55 airstrikes, in support of the SDF advances.[59]

Preparations[edit]

Main articles: Siege of Kobanî, Tell Abyad offensive, and Tishrin Dam offensive

In late December 2015, the SDF captured the Tishrin Dam and crossed the Euphrates, capturing the town of Tishrin and other nearby areas from ISIL, paving the way for a future offensive toward Manbij.

By 30 March 2016, the United States Air Force had conducted 25 airstrikes against ISIL.[2] On 2 April, 6 non-YPG factions of the Syrian Democratic Forces formed the Manbij Military Council to pave the way for the attack on Manbij. Most of the groups were part of the Army of Revolutionaries's Northern Sun Battalion, including the Euphrates Martyrs Brigade, the Jund al-Haramayn Brigade, and an non-Northern Sun Battalion group consisting of ethnic Turkmen called the Manbij Turkmen Brigade.[33][61][62]

On 3 April, the U.S. asked for Turkey’s support for the Manbij offensive, but Turkey had two demands in exchange for helping the U.S.-led anti-ISIL coalition. Turkey first demanded that the Syrian Arab tribes to be included in the Manbij operation should leave the Syrian Democratic Forces, which mostly consists of the People's Protection Units and the Women's Protection Units, and also the U.S. should increase its airstrikes for groups Turkey supports.[63] On 4 April, according to a Turkish source, a group of U.S. military and intelligence staff traveled to Turkey to work on a plan for an operation to liberate Manbij.[63] Turkey stated that it would not participate nor contribute to the offensive,[64] the reason being the involvement of Kurdish (YPG) fighters and because it was beyond the range of artillery stationed in Turkey.[65] Furthermore, Turkish intelligence and military units were to closely watch the operation in Manbij.[66] When the offensive started, the Washington Post reported it under the headline of "Ignoring Turkey, U.S. backs Kurds in drive against ISIS in Syria".[67]

On 5 April, a civilian council was formed in the town of Sarrin in the context of the polyethnic de facto autonomous Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava by individuals originally from Manbij, whom had fled when ISIL took over. The council consists of Arabs, Kurds, Syrian Turkmen, Circassians[68] and was created to administer Manbij after its capture in the future.[69] When after the start of the offensive international media interest in ethnic issues surged, Sheikh Farouk al-Mashi, an ethnic Arab former member of the Syrian parliament, and designated co-chairman of the Manbij City Council stated: "I have a Syrian ID, and Kurds have a Syrian ID. Let those people who talk against us in Turkey and Europe come here and fight ISIS. Why this distortion in media about problems between Kurds and Arabs?" Ethnic Kurdish fellow co-chairman Salih Haji Mohammed stated: "In our social contract, we say we want to have good relations with neighboring countries like Turkey. Any country that does not interfere in Manbij and our areas, we will have good relations with."[21]

On 31 May, the US announced that they would support the offensive and send supporting troops to the area. A US official stated that "Syrian Arab fighters would be the ones to stabilize and secure it once Islamic State is gone".[70] The same day the offensive started, the SOHR stated "most of the fighters were from the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) militia".[71] However, the next day, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said that around 3,000 SDF fighters were joining the operation and that some 2,500 of them were Arabs, while around 450 were from the YPG.[66] Furthermore, two Coalition spokesmen reiterated Arab fighters were leading the offensive, while Kurdish forces were in support, and one stated the reports that were suggesting the offensive was Kurdish-led were inaccurate.[43][44] Another report stated, per local activists, that 60 percent of the attacking force were Arabs from Manbij.[46] This was also confirmed by a Manbij Military Council commander who said 60 percent of the attacking force were Arabs and 40 percent Kurds, Turkmen and other ethnic groups,[21] while an SDF fighter gave his perspective as "we have Arabs, Kurds, nobody knows how many exactly, we all work under the SDF-forces".[72]

The offensive[edit]

On 31 May 2016, the Syrian Democratic Forces launched the offensive for the "Manbij Pocket" (al-Shahba) region, with small numbers of US Special Forces assisting with tactical operations and planning near the frontlines.[39][73][74][75] The SDF captured three villages and the al-Gharra Mountain from ISIL, located southeast of the ISIL stronghold of Manbij. This advancement put the SDF and YPG within 15 kilometres of Manbij.[76] The offensive was launched from two directions, from the Tishrin Dam area and the ruins of the Qara Qozak Bridge, near Sarrin. It was reported that US Special Forces constructed an Armored Vehicle-Launched Bridge (AVLB) at the site of the destroyed Qara Qozak Bridge, to enable SDF forces to cross the Euphrates River.[77] On 1 June, the SDF captured Najam Castle, on the west bank of the Euphrates River, across from Sarrin, and linked the two fronts east of Manbij, advancing along the M4 Highway and the west bank of the Euphrates.[78][79] These advances nearly doubled the SDF-held territory near Manbij since the start of the offensive,[79] and brought the SDF within 12 kilometers of Manbij.[80]

On 3 June, Abu Layla, a leading commander of the Manbij Military Council, was severely injured during the clashes with ISIL. He was subsequently moved to Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan for treatment, where he remained in critical condition.[81] Abu Layla died of his wounds two days later;[13] the offensive was subsequently named after him in his honor. By this point, SDF forces had captured around 50 villages and almost 400 square kilometers of land from ISIL, within the past week.[82]

On 4 June, the SDF captured another eight villages,[22] and cut the road between Manbij and Ar-Raqqah.[10][83] Heavy fighting continued on 5 June, five kilometers from Manbij.[44] On 5 June, the SDF captured the village of Awn Dadat, north of Manbij, severing the Jarabulus-Manbij road. SDF forces also captured Khirbat Hisan, Malla Saad, and Safiya, to the north of Manbij, killing dozens of ISIL militants.[84] By early 6 June, it was reported that the SDF had captured 10 more villages from ISIL near Manbij, including Kabir al-Kabir, located 5 km south of Manbij, putting ISIL in a state of high alert. Due to the SDF advancement and the ongoing encirclement of Manbij, ISIL was reportedly beginning to transfer fighters from the Azaz frontline to Manbij, in order to reinforce their positions against the SDF.[85]

On 6 June, ISIL fighters were reportedly fleeing Manbij with their families,[86] while ISIL attempted to regain control over Om Ezam village and its vicinity.[87] That day, the SDF took the Jarabulus-Manbij road and two villages east of Manbij.[9] By the evening, SDF fighters were within two kilometers south of Manbij.[88] Furthermore, two ISIL leaders were killed by airstrikes on Jarabulus: Abu Huzaifa Alordoni and Hasan Rimo.[30]

On 7 June, the SDF captured six more villages and farms around Qara Qoqaz bridge.[89]

On 8 June, ISIL started to abandon its frontline against the Turkish-backed rebels north of Aleppo to reinforce Manbij, while the SDF captured two more villages.[90] That morning, the rebels launched surprise simultaneous attacks from Mare' and Azaz to push back ISIL. ISIL forces did not put up much resistance.[91]

On 9 June, the SDF was trying to complete its siege on Manbij, advancing on its eastern, northern and southern side, capturing several villages in the progress.[92] Later that day, SDF forces reached the Manbij-Aleppo road; the last major route going out of the city[93] According to the SOHR, 49 ISIL militants and one SDF fighter were killed in the past 36 hours.[94] The SDF claimed that the emir of Manbij, Osama al-Tunisi, was among the ISIL casualties, releasing footage of his corpse.[25] According to local activists and SDF officals, Osama had attempted to escape from the city to Al-Bab with his family and bodyguards; all of them were subsequently killed by SDF artillery bombardement. ARA News claimed that Osama al-Tunisi's escape attempt and death "indicates the collapse of ISIS in the city under the ongoing operation by the western-backed SDF troops".[95] Nevertheless, ISIL forces launched a limited counter-offensive south of Manbij on the same day, claiming to have retaken a small number of villages.[96]

On 10 June, Manbij was completely besieged by the SDF, with all of the routes leading to Manbij cut off by SDF forces,[8] trapping 2,000 ISIL fighters[49] and several thousand civilians inside the city.[97] Meanwhile, SDF forces continued to advance west of Manbij, reaching within 17 kilometers of Al-Bab by 11 June.[98]

The next day, SDF fighters advanced further, attacking the village of Um Mayyal, which served as ISIL headquarters for the countryside west of Manbij. In course of the following fierce battle, Dahham al-Hussein, ISIL emir and field commander, was killed and the village taken by the SDF.[26] Between 12 and 13 June, an ISIL counterattack reportedly recaptured six villages around Manbij.[99] On 13 June, it was reported that before their withdrawal from the countryside of Manbij, ISIL militants broke into civilians’ houses in dozens of villages, killing the men and raping the women.[100]

By 14 June, the SDF had captured 105 villages and farms, while intense airstrikes targeted the northern and eastern vicinity, and outskirts of Manbij city, to prepare for the eventual assault on the city.[101] Following a report by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,[3] the Syrian government "strongly condemned" the presence of French and German special forces on Syrian territory. While France's defense minister had previously announced its special forces would help the SDF advance towards Manbij, a German Foreign Office spokesman declared the accusation to be "false", stating that there were no German special forces.[4]

On 15 June, ISIL launched another breakout attempt from Manbij city, reportedly recapturing two nearby villages.[102] The next day, SDF forces were not only able to reverse the recent ISIL gains, but also captured two more villages near Manbij, Tal Rafi’i and Yaleeni, after hard fighting with ISIL defenders.[103] SDF troops also advanced into Manbij, capturing the city's Hatabat district. In course of the fighting, ISIL's local Hisba police chief, Abu al-Hayjaa, was killed by SDF fighters.[29]

On 17 June, heavy clashes were reported at the western entrance of Manbij,[104] while SDF forces continued to advance against the remaining ISIL-held villages at the city's outskirts. SDF commanders claimed that some ISIL fighters disguised themselves as women in an attempt to flee the encircled city.[23] Later on the same day, SDF forces entered the western part of Manbij city, killing over 26 ISIL militants.[105] By this point, several Arab tribes of the Shahba region had also joined the SDF after a secret meeting.[34]

On 18 June, SDF forces reached the western entrance of Manbij, two kilometers from the city center,[106] and by the next day they had secured the crucial Al-Kitab crossroad in western Manbij, while they continued to assault the ISIL-held villages of Yasta and Eyn En-Nexîl northeast of the city.[107] The two villages were eventually captured after heavy clashes, depriving ISIL forces of their last strongholds in Manbij's outskirts.[108] Subsequently, a SDF field commander claimed that the SDF had captured all villages around Manbij from ISIL, and that the situation for the besieged forces in the city became dire. He reported that some ISIL emirs had attempted to bribe the SDF to let them flee the city.[17] Furthermore, clashes between SDF and ISIL took place near al-Kawkali and al-Arima, where ISIL forcibly conscripted 200 locals to fight against the SDF.[109]

The next day, the coalition intensified their airstrikes in order to assist the SDF, while the latter continued to advance into Manbij. In course of these airstrikes, Abu Hamza al-Ansari, another leading ISIL commander of the city, was killed. Despite their losses, ISIL forces reportedly continued to defend their positions in Manbij fiercely.[28]

On the morning of 20 June, ISIS fighters attacked forces of the SDF from the side of al-Bab, Jarabulus and the village of Arima in an attempt to break the siege of Manbij. The clashes continued until the afternoon,[24] and ISIL forces managed to retake three villages[110] before they were repelled by the SDF forces. Both sides suffered heavy casualties, with the SDF losing 28 fighters[111] and ISIL suffering over 140 dead and much lost material.[24][37] As result of the SDF advances, ISIL also initiated mass arrests of Kurdish civilians in many towns and villages of the northern Aleppo countryside. Activists expressed fear that the civilians would be used as human shields.[112] In two villages, the locals revolted against ISIL fighters when they attempted to kidnap women, resulting in clashes that left six civilians dead.[113]

On June 21, the SDF were reported to have entered the built-up area of Manbij from the Northwest and from the South.[114] With some western parts of the city on Manbij proper under SDF control, they opened a humanitarian corridor between the city and its liberated countryside in order to assist civilians to evacuate the city.[115]

The next day, SDF broke into the Manbij Silos, one of the most important ISIL strongholds in the city.[116] According to U.S. officials, despite their recent defeats ISIL forces in Manbij did not show signs of faltering and are expected to fight till the last for the city.[117]

By 23 June, while there were heavy clashes in the outskirts, the SDF further advanced into the town.[118] SDF forces broke into the city's southern perimeter resulting in heavy street fighting. Two SDF fighters were killed by an explosive device.[119] As the resistance of the besieged remained considerable, al-Masdar News estimated that "hundreds" of ISIL fighters still remained in the city, "with many locals volunteering to become suicide bombers". Furthermore, the number of abducted Kurdish civilians in the northern Aleppo countryside rose to 900.[120]

On 24 June, the Manbij Silos at the southern entrance to the city, a site that had seen fierce fighting for days, were reported under control of the SDF.[54][121] Furthermore, the SDF also captured the Akhdar farms south of the city as well as the local Sharia School in the western suburb, which ISIL had reportedly used as training camp for fighters.[122]

The next day, further advances of SDF forces into Manbij were reported, which included heavy fighting at the northern entrance to Manbij, from the western suburbs already under SDF control advances to the gates of the city center, from the southern entrance with the SDF controlled Manbij Silos advances in the direction of the city center, while only in the east ISIL defences still successfully denying SDF forces the way into the built-up area.[123] In course of clashes in western Manbij, Turkish Alevi MLKP volunteer Sevda Çağdaş was killed while fighting ISIL.[36] Furthermore, the YPG claimed that the Turkish Army had shelled Kurdish-held villages west of Kobanî in order to support a ISIL raid across the Euphrates; the ISIL fighters were eventually repelled.[6]

On 26 June, significant SDF advances towards the city center from all directions were reported, with particularily heavy fighting in the northern districts. While the SDF for the first time entered the built-up area from the east, most territorial gains were made in the west and in the south, from the latter direction for the first time penetrating the city center.[124] YPG forces also claimed that the Turkish Army had once again shelled their positions in the northern Kobanî Canton to support ISIL.[5]

The next day, SDF made major progress in Manbij, capturing the Al-Hawatimah and Al-Haram neighborhoods in the northern and the Al-Hawani neighborhood in the southwestern parts of the city.[125] The SDF further claimed to have broken through the ISIL defences south of Manbij, with their main force now one kilometer away from the city's main market.[126]

On the morning of 28 June, ISIL fighters launched a counterattack from Jarablus, attempting to break through SDF defenses at the northern front. After three hours of fighting at Qirat village, the attack was repelled.[127] Later on, SDF fighters broke into the Transportation Department in Manbij, which was cleared of ISIL combatants by midnight. The SDF also took control of some parts of the city's Hazawna district.[128]

The next day, especially heavy clashes were reported in the northern and southern parts of Manbij, with SDF fighters attempting to take control of the Al-Matahin crossroad. If they capture the crossroad, the SDF would be able to advance into the city center. Meanwhile, progress by the SDF in eastern and western Manbij was slowed by ISIL mines.[129][130]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

1. The "Manbij Pocket" region in the northern Aleppo Province, itself the focus of this offensive, is also locally known as the al-Shahba region.[131]

References[edit]

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External links[edit]
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Coordinates: 36°31′36″N 37°57′23″E / 36.5267°N 37.9564°E / 36.5267; 37.9564

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