US-backed rebel forces say they have taken full control of the Syrian city of Manbij from Islamic State.
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The city, located in Syria’s northwestern Aleppo province, fell to the two groups – both of which fight under the umbrella of what is known as the Syrian Democratic forces (SDF) – after some two and a half months of fighting.
“While withdrawing from a district of Manbij, Daesh jihadists abducted around 2,000 civilians from al-Sirb neighborhood”, said Manbij Military Council (MMC) spokesman Sherfan Darwish, calling the militant group by its Arabic acronym. Islamic State fighters held the northern Syrian city near the Turkish border since 2014.
The United Nations has said that more than 78,000 people have been displaced since then.
The same sources said at least 20 civilians had been killed when the US -backed coalition targeted the convoy.
A woman embraces a Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter after she was evacuated with others by the SDF from an Islamic State-controlled neighbourhood of Manbij, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, August 12, 2016.
But their offensive was slowed by a massive jihadist fightback, before a major push last week saw the alliance seize 90 percent of the town.
Tens of thousands of people lived in Manbij before the assault started in May.
The SDF said it had been avoiding a large-scale assault inside Manbij out of concern for civilians.
Manbij had served as a key transit point along IS’s supply route from the Turkish border to Raqqa, the de facto capital of its self-styled “caliphate”.
The Britain-based Observatory says the battle for Manbij claimed the lives of at least 437 civilians – including 105 children – and killed 299 SDF fighters and 1,019 jihadists.
Reuters pictures showed residents being released from an IS-held neighbourhood and being welcomed by SDF forces.
Several air strikes have hit the city of Idlib in the northwest of Syria.
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Turkey yesterday vowed to cooperate with Iran on resolving the conflict in Syria, despite Tehran and Ankara so far taking opposing sides in a civil war that has lasted more than five years.
