ALWAGHT- Over the past two days, clashes between Turkish-backed groups and US-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria have left more than 100 militants dead, according to a London-based war monitor.
Recent clashes around the city of Manbij in northern Syria have resulted in 101 fatalities, including 85 members of Turkish-backed groups and 16 fighters from the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The SDF stated that they successfully repelled attacks from Turkish-backed militants, supported by drones and airstrikes. The SDF, a US proxy force, controls large parts of Syria’s northeast, including areas captured from ISIS, such as Raqqa.
The conflict reflects broader geopolitical tensions, with Turkey viewing the SDF as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist organization. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called for an end to international support for the SDF and continues to launch military operations against Kurdish forces in Syria and Iraq. Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Guler recently announced plans to disarm SDF militants and transfer their weapons to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which currently governs parts of Syria.
The situation is further complicated by international involvement. Germany and France, representing the EU, have emphasized Kurdish inclusion in Syria’s political transition, citing past training and support for Kurdish forces. However, Turkey’s ongoing military actions and its backing of anti-SDF forces have escalated tensions, with cities like Manbij and Tal Rifaat becoming focal points in the battle for control in northern Syria.
