BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Lebanese broadcaster al-Mayadeen said on Sunday the Syrian army would deploy within 48 hours to the town of Kobani which is held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces and the nearby town of Manbij which is controlled by SDF-aligned forces.

The towns fall within a swathe of northern Syria controlled by the SDF that is currently being targeted in an offensive by Turkey and Turkey-backed Syrian rebel groups.