Syrian democratic forces continue to fortify their positions after the Turkish threat to start military operation in Manbij and East Euphrates

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) continued to dig tunnels in their areas of control reaching Manbij, while the Turkish-backed militias saw the move as “preparing for a long battle”.

Recently, some Syrian opposition media reported that the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, which is the backbone of the SDF, began digging trenches and tunnels in the city of Manbij, explaining that these tunnels were connected with the command headquarters and the points of engagement in Manbij and its surrounding areas.

The head of the so-called ” Manbij Military council” formed by Turkey that Includes armed militias,

According to Captain Adnan Haj Mohammed which is a Syrian army defector officer who is the head of “Manbij Military council”: The tunneling confirms that the Kurdish units are taking measures to enable them to defend militarily, preparing for a long-term battle, It seems imminent.

“We support the implementation of the roadmap to avoid the destruction and the great losses resulting from a military battle.

We have no interest in fighting, we want to return the city to its original inhabitants”, he said, adding “however, at the same time, we will fight if other solutions are not possible.

Last June, Turkey and the United States reached a so-called “road map” agreement on Manbij, which ensures that the “Kurdish people’s protection unit” to be removed from the area, which they rejected.

A few days ago, tribes in Manbij backed by Turkey, announced their full support for the Turkish-American agreement at a conference in the city of Jarabulus, in the presence of a Turkish official.

The spokesman of «Manbij military council» that these actions indicate the lack of commitment of Kurdish units to the road map and the US-Turkish understandings on the future of the city.

In this context, Captain Adnan Haj Mohammed pointed to the sharp division within the ranks of SDF leaders about the withdrawal from Manbij, asserting that some of the Kurdish and Syrian Arab leaders are with the decision to withdraw, while this decision was rejected by the non-Syrian leaders of the PKK, «Kandil Mountains» according to the sites reported.

On the American position, he said: “The units scramble and try to circumvent the decisions of the United States, sometimes waving to Russia, or to the “Syrian regime”, to prevent the entry of Turkey and their militia of the Free Syrian Army to the city”.

Since the beginning of this month, the Turkish forces began targeting SDF sites near the northern border, including the sites in Manbij and it surrounding areas, and stressed more than once that they intends to apply the scenario of controlling the City of Al Bab in Manbij.

Meanwhile Ankara asks Washington to stop supporting Syrian Kurds.

The Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said Ankara was looking to stop Washington supporting the Kurdish “people’s protection units” in Syria, which is an extension of the PKK, as it classified in Turkey as a terrorist organization.

“We warned the American side of the repetition of the scenes of its soldiers sitting together with the terrorists”, Akar said in a meeting with US Chief of Staff Joseph Danford in Canada on Sunday.

“We told them we refused these provocative images”.

Earlier, Akar expressed his displeasure at media images showing US soldiers sitting side by side during a dinner with fighters from the Syrian Democratic Forces, the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, whose backbone is supported by the US-led coalition.

The Turkish defense minister stressed that the Turkish street is disturbed by these images, pointing out that these images “harm the reputation of the United States”, and that Ankara is waiting for Washington to cut, as promised, its cooperation with the “Syrian Democratic Forces”.

Turkey renewed its demand for the United States to stop supporting Kurdish organizations, which Ankara considers terrorist organizations, such as the PKK units related to the PKK, which Ankara is fighting against.

“Ankara looks forward to stopping the United States of America’s support for the PKK (People’s Protection Units), an extension of the PKK terrorist organization” Akar said.

“Turkey warned the American side against repeating the scenes of American soldiers with the terrorists,” the Turkish minister said Sunday during a meeting with US Chief of Staff Joseph Danford in Canada. “We informed them of our rejection of those provocative images”.

“We don’t accept our strategic partner (USA) cooperation with terrorists groups in any ways, the YPK/PKK organizations are practicing terrorism and kills civilians”, he said.

These Turkish statements came after a photo that spread through media showing a joint dinner in the Syrian city of Manbij between US soldiers and members of the Kurdish People’s Protection Forces, which provoked resentment by high-ranking Turkish officials as “the Kurdish people’s protection units” were classified as a terrorist organization by the Turkish government.

“The images of members of the US military have bothered the Turkish people”, Akar said at an international forum on security in Canada.

“What we expect is that the United States will stop cooperating with the terrorist group of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units, as promised”.

Turkey has included “people protection units” on the list of terrorist organizations and considers it a Syrian branch of the PKK, which classifies terrorists on the lists of Ankara, Washington and the European Union.

Worth mention that Arab tribes loyal to the Syrian democratic forces in the eastern Syria are demanding the handover of the entire border area with Turkey to the Syrian government to avoid any Turkish attack.