(Zaman Al Wasl)- Senior commander in the military council of al-Bab city said the opposition fighters who are part of the Turkish-led Euphrates Shield Operations would head to Raqqa to fight the Islamic State forces as they close to finishing their military operations in Aleppo.
Abu Mohammad al-Na’es denied that Kurdish-controlled city of Manbij would be the next target for the Euphrates Shield forces after the city of al-Bab. He said that the forces completed their operations in al-Bab and will hand the city over to the general security forces of the Free Police, and will activate judicial committees in the city.
The Euphrates Sheild forces took control of the city of al-Bab after forcing the Islamic State forces to leave on February 23, 2017. Three forces including the regime forces, Kurdish militias and the Euphrates Shield forces besieged the city of al-Bab to force the Islamic State forces to leave.
Speaking to Zaman al-Wasl, Colonel Ahmad Othman, the commander of the Sultan Murad brigade, said the Euphrates Shield battles continue west of Manbij city and south of al-Bab city despite the presence of America-Russian forces stopping Euphrates Shield fighters’ and Turkish soldiers’ from advancing to the city.
The Pentagon announced on March 6, 2017, that the American Army posted several of its forces in locations west of the town of Manbij to prevent confrontations between the Turkish forces and the Syrian regime forces backed by Russia.
Colonel Othman said the Euphrates Shield aims to destroy the Islamic State forces present in all Syrian territory in addition to other terrorist entities such as the Kurdish forces and those trying to stop their operations whether the regime forces or the militias supporting them.
Media reports in recent days indicated that Russian military vehicles entered the city of Manbij on Friday afternoon. The reports mentioned that the Kurdish militias in the city raised Russian flags to disguise their presence before the Euphrates Shield forces.
Reports also indicated that there is little Russian presence in Manbij, and it is limited to the fronts that the Kurdish forces handed over to the regime forces. The American forces present form a demarcating line between the Euphrates Shield forces and the Kurdish forces in the countryside west of Manbij city.
Haythem al-Afisi, the commander of the 51st Brigade which is part of the Syrian resistance and participating in the Euphrates Sheild operations, said it is possible the Euphrates Sheild forces will participate in the operations to liberate al-Raqqah from the side of Tel al-Abyad according to American directions.
Al-Afisi indicated that the third phase of the Euphrates Sheild operations ended raising the question of subsequent action. He confirmed that the next target is the battle for al-Raqqah which has been the subject of dispute from the beginning as the Turks want to start from Manbij city while the Americans see Tel al-Abyad as a more strategic launch point to take control of al-Raqqah.
There has been disparate fighting between the Syrian resistance fighters participating in the Euphrates Sheild operations on the one hand, and the regime forces and Kurdish fighters on the other hand in the areas around Manbij city.
However, Manbij became an international space with the presence of American and Russian forces making it difficult for the Turkish side and its allies in the Syrian resistance to take control of the city. For these forces then going to al-Raqqah and continuing their fight against the Islamic State forces is the next step.
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