A US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters has taken “almost complete control” of the strategic northern Syrian city of Manbij, captured by ISIL two years ago, according to a monitor.<br /><br /> “The Syrian Democratic Forces took control of Manbij on Saturday and are combing the city in search of the last remaining jihadists,” said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.<br /><br /> Manbij, in Aleppo province, is a strategic city for ISIL, supplying weapons and fighters through the Turkish border.<br /><br /> #Manbij .<br />06.08.2016.<br />Footage of civilians rescued from #ISIS captivity.<br />90% of city was liberated .#SDF #YPG #YPJ pic.twitter.com/JGlDf3E8X1— Civil Defence Units (@DefenceUnits) 6. August 2016<br /><br /> #BREAKING <br />One of the most Strategic Syrian City #Manbij is liberated from #ISIS .#Syria pic.twitter.com/Rov7SlypnD— Rasan Remzi (@RasanRemzi) August 6, 2016<br /><br /> The SDF launched its offensive to retake Manbij on May 31, with the help of air strikes from the US-led coalition. It first encircled the town in early June and launched its assault later that month, but faced fierce resistance from jihadists using suicide attacks and car bombs.<br /><br /> The spokesman of the SDF-allied Manbij military council, Sharfan Darwish, told Reuters news agency that small pockets of ISIL militants were still resisting, but that around 90 percent of the city had been cleared.<br /><br /> Syrian women burned their burkas after being liberated from the Isil regime in Manbij https://t.co/j2g0fz3acV— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) August 5, 2016<br /><br /> Meanwhile, in the city of Aleppo, a coalition of Islamist rebels stormed a major artillery base on Friday, but the Syrian army said it had repelled the attack and killed hundreds of insurgents.<br /><br /> Aleppo’s rebel-held east has been under siege since early July, pounded by Syrian government and Russian air strikes. Around a quarter of a million people are thought to be trapped by the fighting.<br /><br /> #SYRIA: Check out AFP's wrap, updated every hour or so with fresh developments on #Aleppo & #Manbij – https://t.co/ikUYBwStiz— Maya Gebeily (GebeilyM) August 6, 2016<br />
