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United States to probe report of dozens of civilian deaths in Manbij, Syria

The city has seen fierce fighting as the Syrian Arab Coalition, backed by US and coalition airpower, attempts to oust ISIS from a city it uses for access to the Turkish border.

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The U.S.-led air campaign against ISIS opened an offensive to repel the militant group from Manbij area in May.

Syria’s main opposition group on Wednesday called for the suspension of U.S.-led coalition airstrikes against Islamic State in Syria, a day after strikes that activists blamed on the worldwide alliance killed scores of civilians in a village.

Meanwhile, US-backed Syrian fighters gave IS fighters 48 hours to leave their stronghold of Manbij in an effort to “protect civilian lives” there.

“This initiative is the last remaining chance for besieged members of Daesh (IS) to leave the town”.

Manbij, near where the first video takes place, is one of the cities sparking outrage from human rights groups.

“We will review any information we have about the incident, including information provided by third parties”, a Pentagon official wrote in an email.

Amnesty International said in a statement today that since June, more than 100 civilians have been reportedly killed in suspected attacks by the U.S.-led coalition in the Manbij area.

On Thursday afternoon, the Observatory reported quiet in Manbij, though it was unclear if the calm was temporary or in response to the SDF’s ultimatum.

On Monday, 21 people were killed in raids also believed to have been conducted by US-led coalition aircraft on Manbij’s northern Hazawneh quarter.

Video of US forces wiping out five ISIS targets in Syria at the same time has stunned many worldwide (video below).

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the dead included 11 children, and that dozens more people were wounded.

Some local reports have put the death toll at around 200.

A Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter walks in the silos and mills of Manbij after the SDF took control of it, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, July 1, 2016.

The DoD says the strikes were conducted as part of Operation ‪#‎InherentResolve, whose goal is to operation to eliminate the ISIS terrorist group and the threat they pose to Iraq, Syria, and other countries.

The ISIL headquarters, located in a hospital, was being used as a command center and logistics hub, the release said.

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So far, US airstrikes have killed anywhere between 56 and 200 civilians in Syria.

Kobani Syria October-2014 air strike