(CNN) Syria's army said Friday it had entered the northern city of Manbij for the first time in years after Kurdish fighters called on Syrian forces to protect the area from the threat of a Turkish attack.

Syria's military command announced in a televised statement that its troops had raised the Syrian flag in Manbij following what it described as an appeal by people in the area.

The US military rejected the Syrian claims Friday, describing them as "incorrect." One US official with knowledge of the situation told CNN that there were no Syrian regime forces Friday in Manbij, but that the US assessment was that Syrian troops were moving closer to the city.

Despite incorrect information about changes to military forces in the city of Manbij, Syria, #CJTFOIR has seen no indication that these claims are true. We call on everyone to respect the integrity of Manbij and the safety of its citizens. #DefeatISIS — Inherent Resolve (@CJTFOIR) December 28, 2018

The United States has Special Forces on the ground in the area, according to the US official. One Manbij resident told CNN he had seen a US patrol near a mosque Friday in the city center, and a Syrian opposition group told CNN that US forces still controlled Manbij.

Syria's announcement came after the Kurdish People's Protection Units, or YPG, issued a statement urging President Bashar al-Assad's forces to "assert control over the areas our forces have withdrawn from, in particular Manbij, and to protect these areas against a Turkish invasion."

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