Nearly 37 killed in north Syria clashes between pro-Turkey, Kurdish forces in Manbij region: war monitor
The Hindu
War monitor reports 37 killed in clashes between Turkish-backed groups and Kurdish-led forces in Syria's Manbij region.
“Battles between Turkish-backed groups, supported by air strikes, and Kurdish-led forces killed 37 people on Thursday (January 9, 2025) in Syria’s northern Manbij region,” a war monitor said.
The latest reported fighting comes despite the United States saying Wednesday (January 8, 2025) that it was working to address Turkey’s concerns in Syria to dissuade the NATO ally from escalating an offensive against Kurdish fighters.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor reported “fierce battles in the Manbij countryside... in the past hours between the (Kurdish-led) Syrian Democratic Forces and the (Turkish-backed) National Army factions... with Turkish air cover”.
“The attacks killed 37 people in a preliminary toll,” mostly Turkish-backed combatants, but also six SDF fighters and five civilians, said the British-based Observatory with a network of sources inside Syria.
The monitor said at least 322 people have been killed in fighting in the Manbij countryside since last month.
On Wednesday (January 8, 2025), Mazloum Abdi, who heads the U.S.-backed SDF, said his group supported “the unity and integrity of Syrian territory”. In a written statement to AFP, he called on Syria’s new authorities “to intervene in order for there to be a ceasefire throughout Syria”.
Mr. Abdi’s comments followed what he called a “positive” meeting between Kurdish leaders and the Damascus authorities late last month.
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