ISIS terrorists fled a northern Syrian stronghold using a civilian convoy as human shields in an effort to prevent coalition airstrikes from destroying their forces.

The jihadis were filmed running away from Manbij by a drone launched by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces.

The Kurdish-led group recaptured the strategically important town less than 20 miles from the Turkish border and close to an important bridge across the River Euphrates.

Hundreds of ISIS terrorists used a civilian convoy to flee Manbij in northern Syria to avoid being wiped out by US fighter jets which were stationed less than 150 miles away

Syrian Democratic Forces sent up a drone and identified the civilians and warned US commanders against launching a devastating air strike to wipe out the terrorist column

The ISIS terrorists fled north out of Manbij towards the Turkish border which is 18 miles away

ISIS lost control of the strategically important town of Manbij which linked up their strongholds of Raqqa to the east and Aleppo to the west following a two

According to images posted by the SDF, black-clad ISIS fighters can be seen surrounding the civilian convoy as it makes its way out of the besieged city.

The ISIS terrorists are believed to be travelling on motorbikes and in cars along with the civilians.

The nature of the column prevented US aircraft - who could have wiped out the retreating terrorists in minutes - from attacking because of the risk faced by civilians.

The SDF, backed by US airstrikes, waged a two-month long campaign against ISIS in Manbij, forcing the terror group to flee.

Since their removal, the SDF have found several locations around the city which ISIS had used as a makeshift prison and others which were used as a temporary bomb factory.

However, despite being supported by the US military, the SDF and their Kurdish YPG militia are at risk of attack by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad or Vladimir Putin.

The US military had aircraft on standby to wipe out the fleeing ISIS fighters but called off the strike mission due to the risk of civilian casualties.

US Air Force jets from Inci

It is understood that many of the terrorists went north towards Turkey, which is only 20 miles away.

SDF forces in Manbij discovered a number of make-shift ISIS bomb factories in the city

An ISIS prison was discovered as US-backed troops cleared the former Jihadi stronghold

ISIS terrorists fled north towards Turkey after they were routed by the SDF in Manbij

Colonel Chris Garver, a spokesman for the U.S.-led coalition fighting ISIS, said commanders of the Syrian Democratic Forces made the decision to allow the convoy to pass.

Garver said it was highly likely that there were human shields in each of the terrorist vehicles.

He said: 'They kept throwing civilians to basically walk into the line of fire, trying to get them shot to use that potentially as propaganda, we think.'

Manbij is a key victory for the SDF and the coalition, because it lies on a major supply route between the Turkish border and the city of Raqqa, the de facto capital of the ISIS caliphate.