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Fighting Intensifies between Pro-Türkiye Factions, SDF Near Syria’s Manbij

Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)
Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)
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Fighting Intensifies between Pro-Türkiye Factions, SDF Near Syria’s Manbij

Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)
Syrian opposition fighters secure the area near Manbij city, northern Syria, 04 January 2025. (EPA)

Fighting intensified on Saturday between the Türkiye-backed Free Syrian Army and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the Tishrin Dam region southeast of Manbij city in the Aleppo countryside.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Turkish jets struck SDF positions in the area, as well as in the city of Deir Hafir southeast of Manbij.

In a statement, the SDF said the pro-Türkiye factions launched a broad attack on several villages south and east of Manbij, but its forces managed to repel them.

The factions have for days been seeking to seize areas surrounding the Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River.

The SDF added that the factions, with support from Turkish drones and modern tanks, launched violent attacks on the villages of al-Atshana, Khirbet Tueni, Khirbet Zamala, al-Mastaha, Alloush and others near Manbij.

The SDF managed to repel “all attacks”, kill several members of the factions and destroy Turkish vehicles, stressed the statement.

SDF members were killed and eight others were wounded in the fighting. Fifty members of the factions were also killed, said the Observatory, which confirmed the attacks on the Manbij countryside.

The SDF has since detonated mines in the area to slow down the factions’ advance. It has also bolstered the deployment of its forces in anticipation of air strikes, added the Observatory.

The fighting has been ongoing since December when the factions seized Manbij and Tal Rifaat. Since then, neither side has managed to claim any major victory against the other or capture any territory.

Meanwhile, Turkish drones struck and damaged a power plant in the Tabaqa countryside in the western Raqqa province.

Two members of the SDF security forces were also wounded in a drone strike on the municipality building in the countryside.

Türkiye has been targeting infrastructure in the regions held by the People’s Protection Forces (YPG) - the military backbone of the SDF - in northern and eastern Syria.

Turkish artillery also targeted areas in Hasakeh. There have been no reports so far of casualties.

Elsewhere, American forces and the US-led international coalition to fight ISIS continued to send military reinforcements to areas held by the SDF.

A 20-truck American military convoy entered Syria through the Iraqi Kurdistan region and headed towards the Tal Baydar and Qasrak bases in the Hasakeh countryside on Saturday.

The Observatory said the US forces sent 13 armored vehicles, as well as fuel tankers, from these bases to Ain al-Arab, or Kobane, in the eastern Aleppo countryside to complete the construction of a military base there.

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US Top Diplomat Meets Syrian Counterpart; Discuss End of Iran’s Influence 

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the NEST International Convention Center, in Antalya on May 15, 2025. (AFP)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the NEST International Convention Center, in Antalya on May 15, 2025. (AFP)
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US Top Diplomat Meets Syrian Counterpart; Discuss End of Iran’s Influence 

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the NEST International Convention Center, in Antalya on May 15, 2025. (AFP)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani (L) shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the NEST International Convention Center, in Antalya on May 15, 2025. (AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani in Türkiye on Thursday, the State Department said in a statement.

"(Rubio) welcomed the Syrian government’s calls for peace with Israel, efforts to end Iran’s influence in Syria, commitment to ascertaining the fate of US citizens missing or killed in Syria, and elimination of all chemical weapons," the department said.

"The Secretary underscored the critical importance of protecting the human rights of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religion," the department said.

Earlier, Rubio revealed that the US is likely to issue some sanctions relief to Syria in coming weeks following President Donald Trump's announcement that all sanctions targeting Damascus would be lifted.

Rubio said on Thursday that Trump intends to issue waivers under the "Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act", through which Washington imposed stiff sanctions on former President Bashar al-Assad's government and secondary sanctions on outside companies or governments that worked with it.

A Trump administration official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Thursday that the Treasury Department "would likely issue general licenses covering a broad range of the economy that is critical to rebuilding in the coming weeks."

Trump said on Tuesday that he would order the lifting of all sanctions on Syria at the behest of Saudi Arabia's crown prince, in a major US policy shift that took some in his own administration off guard and left the Treasury and State departments scrambling to understand how to unwind the sanctions.

Speaking to reporters in Antalya, Türkiye, Rubio said the US wants to do everything it can to help achieve a peaceful, stable Syria as the country emerges from 13 years of war.

He added that Republican and Democratic members of the US Congress had asked the Trump administration to use waiver authorities in the "Caesar Act" to lift sanctions.

"That's what the president intends to do. Those waivers have to be renewed every 180 days. Ultimately, if we make enough progress, we'd like to see the law repealed, because you're going to struggle to find people to invest in a country when in six months sanctions could come back," Rubio said.

"We're not there yet, that's premature."

Overturning the bill would require congressional action, but it includes a provision allowing the president to suspend the sanctions for national security reasons. Trump could also issue a general license suspending some or all of the sanctions.

"I think as we make progress hopefully we'll be in a position soon, or one day, to go to Congress and ask them to permanently remove the sanctions," Rubio said.

PREPARATORY WORK UNDERWAY

Syria's foreign minister was in Washington two weeks ago and preparatory work was already under way regarding the Syria sanctions, most of which are statutory under the "Caesar Act," Rubio said.

Removing US sanctions that cut Syria off from the global financial system would clear the way for greater engagement by humanitarian organizations working in Syria, easing foreign investment and trade as the country rebuilds.

Trump said he would remove all sanctions, saying they had served an important function, but it was time for Syria to move forward.

The Treasury Department in a post on X on Thursday said it was working with the State Department and National Security Council to execute Trump's decision.

"We look forward to implementing the necessary authorizations that would be critical to bringing new investment into Syria," it said.

"Treasury's actions can help rebuild Syria's economy, financial sector, and infrastructure and could put the country on a path to a bright, prosperous, and stable future."