<p>Gen Joseph L Votel, commander of US Central Command, visited the disputed Syrian city of Manbij on June 21, according to Kurdish reports</a>.</p><p>Votel and US delegates met with the Democratic Civil Administration of the city, and its military council.</p><p>Votel said the purpose of his visit was to show “strong support for the Manbij Military Council and the civil administration of Manbij, and to visit the [US] soldiers we have here.”</p><p>Manbij was recaptured from Islamic State in 2016, in an offensive by the US-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. US support for the Kurds met with disapproval from Turkey, and the two countries were reported</a> earlier in June to have agreed a security deal for Manbij under which Turkish and US forces would remain, but Kurdish militias would withdraw.</p><p>Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told CNN Turk on June 21 that Kurdish fighters would begin withdrawing on July 4. Credit: ANHA via Storyful</p><br />
