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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| Manbij residents smoke and shave to celebrate freedom from ISIS |
| 2016-08-14 |
| [Iraq Sun] The residents of Manbij, a stronghold of the Islamic state (ISIS) holy warrior group, were freed after U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) wrested control over the area. Nasser Haj Mansour of SDF said that Manbij "is under full control," adding that combing operations were on to search any remaining ISIS holy warriors in the town. Reports stated that as the ISIS holy warriors were retreating from Manbij, they had seized 2000 citizens to be used as shields against the ongoing When the Islamic holy warriors were finally pushed out, the city erupted into spontaneous celebrations. People came pouring out on the streets, men and women danced, sobbed, some men shaved their beards, a woman burnt a niqab and another smoked a cigarette. Video footages also showed citizens cursing the Islamic state and crying out in disbelief that the ISIS had been overpowered. U.S. backed Kurdish Syrian forces had launched an attack on Manbij in May but were only able to capture the city after 73 days of festivities with the holy warriors. With Manbij under control, the SDF is looking to capture Raqqa, the self-proclaimed capital of the ISIS. Reclaiming Manbij is being dubbed as a major victory in the fight against ISIS as the city was its link with the rest of the world, additionally, it was the point through which the group recruited foreign soldiers and traded in arms. |
| Posted by:Fred |