ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—Fierce clashes between Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Islamic State militants erupted in western Manbij.The SDF Press Centre reported on Monday that Islamic State (ISIS) militants tried to break the siege on the city from the west. They killed “dozens” of militants, the SDF confirmed on Twitter.

#Daesh trying to break the siege of #Manbij,From the western side,dozens of dead and destroyed one armored of them pic.twitter.com/oCeYfXJdAR — SDF Press Center (@SDF_Press_1) July 18, 2016

The monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Sunday confirmed the clashes “in the western section and north of al-Hazwania area, amid mutual bombardment from both sides and aerial bombardment by the coalition warplanes.”



“SDF advanced in several points, reports of taking control on (sic) a factory and a street in the city,” the Observatory continued, noting that there were casualties but not providing any details.



The SDF, a coalition of forces battling ISIS in northern Syria dominated by the Kurdish Peoples’ Protection Units (YPG), are backed by the global anti-ISIS coalition who carried out 11 airstrikes on Manbij on Sunday in support of the forces’ operation to liberate the key northern Syrian town of Manbij.



“Near Manbij, 11 strikes struck eight separate ISIL tactical units and destroyed 22 ISIL fighting positions” on July 17, reported the Combined Joint Task Force for the coalition.



The Observatory reported on Sunday that recent coalition airstrikes killed six civilians in Manbij, “including a woman with 4 of her children and an old man.”



The SDF launched an operation to liberate Manbij from Islamic State under the umbrella of the locally formed Manbij Military Council in early June. They have the city surrounded and are steadily progressing into the city centre.

The operation has been moving slowly due to the high number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by militants and in order to protect civilians still living in the town.



Routing the Islamic State from Manbij will cut the extremist group off from the border with Turkey, thereby limiting its ability to bring in supplies and fighters. It will also bring the Kurds closer to connecting their cantons of Kobane and Efrin.



