AhlulBayt News Agency - Following up on Thursday's gains, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) were able to impose full control of the Sharia Neighbourhood in western Manbij on Wednesday.
Wednesday morning at 8am, fighters of the SDF were also able to seize the Bahrat Roundabout, thus wrestling roughly half the neighbouring Bustan al-Haddad district from the so-called Islamic State.
Clashes are now ongoing at Bustan al-Haddad’s plantation park area and the Manbij hospital with the largely Kurdish SDF edging slowly towards the city center.
The SDF’s Manbij Military Council has also vowed to liberated Al-Bab city, another ISIS stronghold in Aleppo, in a move intended to connect Kurdish-held territories in northeastern Syria with the Kurdish controlled enclave at Efrin, in northwestern Syria.
If this large-scale SDF offensive goes to plan, ISIS will not only be almost entirely expelled from the Aleppo governorate but will also lose its last border territory with Turkey.
Ankara is formally opposed to the Islamic State and has consistently shelled the terror group; however, the Turkish border is still the most frequent route used by ISIS to smuggle in foreign fighters and supplies.
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