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Syria: Thousands return to Manbij following defeat of extremists

Syria: Thousands return to Manbij following defeat of extremists

Syria

Thousands of displaced residents have returned to Manbij in northern Syria, now that the last extremists have fled.

The homecomers’ joy and jubilation was shared by the US-backed Syria Democratic Forces, who liberated the city near the Turkish border and are now in full control.

It took more than two months for the Kurdish and Arab fighters of the SDF to win the battle for Manbij, with heavy support from the US-led coalition.

Nice Channel4News Report on Liberation of Manbij with Some Great Scenes hawarnews pic.twitter.com/exUfRNgyCx

— Mutlu Civiroglu (@mutludc) August 14, 2016

“We have cleared Manbij of the mercenaries of Daesh and now we are clearing away the mines planted in the houses and streets so people can come back.” said Abdul Rahman Jomaa Al-Salem, a SDF fighter.

Some of the hostages ISIL took when fleeing Manbij have now been released.

In Aleppo however the horror of war continues as well as in the rebel-held Idlib province with reports indicating that Russian and Syrian regime air strikes have left many civilians dead.

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