By: TII team
Date: January 10, 2025
An explosion following a drone attack by Kurdish SDF forces on a base of pro-Turkey Islamist fighters in Minbij, northern Syria, Rojava. Jan 8, 2025. Photo: Video/SDF/via The Insight International
MANBIJ,— Fighting in northern Syria’s Manbij region on Thursday claimed at least 37 lives as Turkish-backed factions engaged in fierce clashes with Kurdish-led forces, bolstered by Turkish airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Observatory, a Britain-based group with extensive sources on the ground, reported intense clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed Islamist fighters of the Syrian National Army SNA. The fighting unfolded in the Manbij countryside and left casualties among fighters and civilians alike.
The death toll includes 26 mercenary fighters from the Turkish-backed forces, six Kurdish SDF fighters, and five civilians. The Observatory also noted that more than 320 people have been killed in the Manbij countryside since the fighting reignited last month.
The escalation comes despite diplomatic efforts from the United States to address Turkey’s concerns about Kurdish fighters in Syrian Kurdistan. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged Turkey’s “legitimate concerns” about the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara considers a “terrorist” organization. However, Blinken stressed that a broader conflict would undermine progress in the region and called for a resolution involving the departure of foreign fighters.
Mazloum Abdi, the top commander of the SDF, echoed calls for peace. In a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Abdi urged Syrian authorities to intervene to secure a nationwide ceasefire, describing recent discussions between Kurdish leaders and Damascus as “positive.”
Turkey has repeatedly launched military operations against Kurdish-led forces since 2016, accusing the SDF’s main component, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), of ties to the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey.
The YPG has denied the accusations and any kind connection to the PKK, claiming that Turkey is making up reasons to take over more Kurdish areas in northern Syria.
The SDF, backed by the U.S., played a pivotal role in defeating the Islamic State group in Syria, but their autonomy in the country’s northeast remains a sticking point for Ankara. Turkey views the region as a threat to its national security.
Recent clashes coincide with heightened tensions in the region. On November 27, Islamist-led rebels launched an offensive alongside Turkish-backed forces, targeting areas under SDF control, including Manbij and Tel Rifaat in Aleppo province.
As the violence escalates, casualties continue to mount, underscoring the need for urgent international efforts to prevent further bloodshed and stabilize the region.
(Credit: AFP)
Copyright © 2025 The Insight International. All rights reserved
MANBIJ,— Fighting in northern Syria’s Manbij region on Thursday claimed at least 37 lives as Turkish-backed factions engaged in fierce clashes with Kurdish-led forces, bolstered by Turkish airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The Observatory, a Britain-based group with extensive sources on the ground, reported intense clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Turkish-backed Islamist fighters of the Syrian National Army SNA. The fighting unfolded in the Manbij countryside and left casualties among fighters and civilians alike.
The death toll includes 26 mercenary fighters from the Turkish-backed forces, six Kurdish SDF fighters, and five civilians. The Observatory also noted that more than 320 people have been killed in the Manbij countryside since the fighting reignited last month.
The escalation comes despite diplomatic efforts from the United States to address Turkey’s concerns about Kurdish fighters in Syrian Kurdistan. On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken acknowledged Turkey’s “legitimate concerns” about the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which Ankara considers a “terrorist” organization. However, Blinken stressed that a broader conflict would undermine progress in the region and called for a resolution involving the departure of foreign fighters.
Mazloum Abdi, the top commander of the SDF, echoed calls for peace. In a statement to Agence France-Presse (AFP), Abdi urged Syrian authorities to intervene to secure a nationwide ceasefire, describing recent discussions between Kurdish leaders and Damascus as “positive.”
Turkey has repeatedly launched military operations against Kurdish-led forces since 2016, accusing the SDF’s main component, the People’s Protection Units (YPG), of ties to the PKK, which has waged a decades-long insurgency against Turkey.
The YPG has denied the accusations and any kind connection to the PKK, claiming that Turkey is making up reasons to take over more Kurdish areas in northern Syria.
The SDF, backed by the U.S., played a pivotal role in defeating the Islamic State group in Syria, but their autonomy in the country’s northeast remains a sticking point for Ankara. Turkey views the region as a threat to its national security.
Recent clashes coincide with heightened tensions in the region. On November 27, Islamist-led rebels launched an offensive alongside Turkish-backed forces, targeting areas under SDF control, including Manbij and Tel Rifaat in Aleppo province.
As the violence escalates, casualties continue to mount, underscoring the need for urgent international efforts to prevent further bloodshed and stabilize the region.
(Credit: AFP)
Copyright © 2025 The Insight International. All rights reserved
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