Russia: Syrian Army Controls Manbij, Turkey's Operation 'Unacceptable'
US soliders in Manbij (Photo: AA/Archive)
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The Syrian army has established full control over the city of Manbij following the withdrawal of the US troops, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
"The Syrian government army has established full control over the city of Manbij and nearby inhabited communities," the ministry said.
The Russian military police continue to patrol the northwestern borders of Manbij along the "line of engagement" between the armies of Syria and Turkey, the statement indicated, adding that "cooperation with the Turkish side has been arranged."
Coalition spokesperson: We are out of Manbij
The US confirmed the withdrawal of its troops from Manbij after Russia's announcement.
Operation Inherent Resolve Spokesperson Myles B. Caggins III said in a tweet, "Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij.
Coalition forces are executing a deliberate withdrawal from northeast Syria. We are out of Manbij. // تقوم قوات التحالف بتنفيذ إنسحاب مدروس من شمال شرق سوريا. لقد غادرنا منبج
— OIR Spokesman Col. Myles B. Caggins III (@OIRSpox) October 15, 2019
The Newsweek reported earlier in the day that the US forces began the withdrawal today, quoting a high-level official from Pentagon.
Erdoğan: We will clear the area from Manbij to our border with Iraq
Turkey's ongoing anti-terror operation in northern Syria has cleared around one thousand square kilometers (386 square miles) area of this morning, according to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Turkey aims to "clear the area of terrorists from Manbij to Turkey's border with Iraq and to provide voluntary resettlement of around three million Syrians to their home, Erdoğan said at the 7th Summit of the Cooperation Council of Turkic Speaking States (Turkic Council) in Azerbaijan's capital Baku.
Lavrentiev: We brokered an agreement between Damascus and SDF
Alexander Lavrentiev, the Kremlin's special envoy for Syria, has called Turkey's operation into Syria "unacceptable" and complained that the operation had not been cleared by Moscow in advance, Russia's state-run Interfax news agency reported.
Lavrentiev added that there has been talks between Ankara and Damascus through intelligence agencies and foreign ministries.
He also stated that Moscow brokered an agreement between the Syrian government and the SDF, adding that the talks took place in Russia's Hmeimim airbase in Syria's Latakia.
The Syrian army yesterday began to take control of several towns and cities from the SDF, including Manbij and Raqqa. (PT/VK)