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Isis 'abducts 2,000 civilians to use as human shields' while fleeing Manbij More than 2,000 Isis hostages freed from Manbij
(about 3 hours later)
Fighters with the Islamic State group have seized about 2,000 civilians to use as “human shields” as they fled their stronghold of Manbij in northern Syria, US-backed forces and a monitor said. The Islamic State stronghold of Manbij, in northern Syria, has fallen to allied Arab and Kurdish fighters, who freed more than 2,000 hostages who had been held there by the terrorist group.
The abductions came as Russian and Syrian jets pounded rebel positions in and around second city Aleppo, killing at least 20 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Right monitor said. Related: Syrian civilians celebrate after being rescued from Isis – in pictures
The Arab-Kurdish alliance known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) expelled most of the Isis fighters from Manbij last week, but dozens continued to put up a tough resistance. A spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said they had taken over the city after the last Isis militants fled on Friday. According to the SDF and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the freed hostages had been used as “human shields”.
On Friday they withdrew from a northern neighbourhood heading for the Isis-held town of Jarabulus along the border with Turkey, taking the captives with them. Sharfan Darwish of the SDF-allied Manbij military council told Reuters: “The city is now fully under our control but we are undertaking sweeping operations.”
“While withdrawing from a district of Manbij, Daesh [Isis] jihadists abducted around 2,000 civilians from Al-Sirb neighbourhood,” said Sherfan Darwish, spokesman for the Manbij Military Council, a key component of the SDF. The Arab-Kurdish alliance had expelled most of the Isis fighters from Manbij by last week but dozens continued to put up a tough resistance until Friday.
“They used these civilians as human shields as they withdrew to Jarabulus, thus preventing us from targeting them,” he said, adding that women and children were among those taken. The abductions took place as Russian and Syrian jets pounded rebel positions in and around Aleppo, killing at least 20 people, a spokesman for the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Britain-based Observatory, which relies on sources inside Syria to cover the war, gave a similar report, saying Isis forced about 2,000 civilians into cars it confiscated and headed for Jarabulus. Prior to their withdrawal from Manbij, the Isis fighters abandoned a northern neighbourhood, taking the captives with them. They headed for the town of Jarabulus, along the border with Turkey, which their forces hold.
The jihadists, who have suffered a string of losses in Syria and Iraq, have often staged mass kidnappings in the two countries when they come under pressure to relinquish territory they hold. “While withdrawing from a district of Manbij, Daesh [Isis] jihadis abducted around 2,000 civilians from Al-Sirb neighbourhood,” said Darwish. “They used these civilians as human shields as they withdrew to Jarabulus, thus preventing us from targeting them,” he said, adding that women and children were among those taken.
In January, Isis abducted more than 400 civilians, including women and children, as it overran parts of Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria. It later released about 270 of them. The Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on sources inside Syria to cover the war, gave a similar report, saying Isis forced about 2,000 civilians into cars it confiscated and headed for Jarabulus.
Isis has also used civilians as human shields, booby-trapped cars and carried out suicide bombings to slow advances by their opponents and avoid coming under attack. The jihadis, who have suffered a string of recent losses in Syria and Iraq, have often staged mass kidnappings in the two countries when they come under pressure to relinquish territory.
Thousands of civilians were held captive by the group in Fallujah which Iraqi forces recaptured in June after a four-week offensive. In January Isis abducted more than 400 civilians, including women and children, as it overran parts of Deir Ezzor province in eastern Syria. It later released about 270 of them.
On Friday, the Site intelligence group said Isis had killed five men in Iraq for smuggling people out of territory it controls. Isis has used civilians as human shields, booby-trapped cars and carried out suicide bombings to slow advances by their opponents and avoid coming under attack. Thousands of civilians were held captive by the group in Fallujah, which Iraqi forces recaptured in June after a four-week offensive.
SDF forces captured Manbij on 6 August but continued to battle pockets of jihadists holed up in parts of the town. On Friday the Site intelligence group said Isis had killed five men in Iraq for smuggling people out of territory it controls.
Darwish said the SDF rescued 2,500 civilians who were held captive by Isis fighters before they fled and combed Al-Sirb on Friday for any remaining jihadists. With air support from the US-led coalition, the SDF began its assault on Manbij on 31 May, surging into the town three weeks later. The offensive was slowed by a big jihadi fightback, before a major push last week saw the alliance seize 90% of the town.
With air support from the US-led coalition, the SDF began its assault on Manbij on 31 May, surging into the town itself three weeks later. Tens of thousands of people lived in Manbij before the assault started. The United Nations has said that more than 78,000 people have been displaced since then.
But their offensive was slowed by a big jihadist fightback, before a major push last week saw the alliance seize 90% of the town. Manbij was strategically significant because it was on Isis’s supply route from the Turkish border to Raqqa, the de facto capital of its self-styled Islamic “caliphate”.
Tens of thousands of people lived in Manbij before the assault started in May. The Observatory said the battle for Manbij claimed the lives of at least 437 civilians – including 105 children – and killed 299 SDF fighters and 1,019 jihadis.
The United Nations has said that more than 78,000 people have been displaced since then. The Observatory said women and children were among at least 20 people killed on Friday in Syrian and Russian air raids on rebel positions in Aleppo and rebel positions further north and west of the city. Twelve were killed in Hayyan, a small town 15km (10 miles) north of Aleppo, it said.
Manbij was a key transit point along Isis’s supply route from the Turkish border to Raqqa, the de facto capital of its self-styled Islamic “caliphate”.
The Britain-based Observatory says the battle for Manbij claimed the lives of at least 437 civilians – including 105 children – and killed 299 SDF fighters and 1,019 jihadists.
The Observatory said women and children were among at least 20 people killed on Friday in Syrian and Russian air raids on rebel positions in Aleppo and rebel positions further north and west of the city.
Twelve were killed in Hayyan, a small town 15km (10 miles) north of Aleppo, it said.
An AFP correspondent in the rebel-held east of the city said several neighbourhoods were hit, adding that people had been out on the streets to stock up on supplies after weeks of shortages caused by a punishing government siege.An AFP correspondent in the rebel-held east of the city said several neighbourhoods were hit, adding that people had been out on the streets to stock up on supplies after weeks of shortages caused by a punishing government siege.
Syria’s state news agency Sana, quoting a military source, said the warplanes destroyed several rebel positions and vehicles and killed “dozens of terrorists”. Syria’s state news agency, Sana, quoting a military source, said the warplanes destroyed several rebel positions and vehicles and killed “dozens of terrorists”. The Observatory said clashes raged between rebels and pro-regime forces south of Aleppo.
The Observatory said clashes raged between rebels and pro-regime forces south of Aleppo. Friday’s raids took place despite a pledge by Russia to observe a three-hour daily ceasefire in Aleppo to allow for humanitarian aid deliveries. An estimated 1.5 million people live in the city, including about 250,000 in rebel-held districts.
Friday’s raids come despite a pledge by Russia to observe a three-hour daily ceasefire in Aleppo to allow for humanitarian aid deliveries. Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011. Since then more than 290,000 people have been killed and and world powers have been drawn in on all sides of the war.
An estimated 1.5 million people live in the city, including about 250,000 in rebel-held districts.
Syria’s conflict erupted in March 2011 and has since killed more than 290,000 people and drawn in world powers on all sides of the war.