Intense artillery, airstrikes continue in Syria's Manbij amid rising tensions VIDEO

The Syrian National Army, supported by Türkiye, continues its offensive on the front lines in the rural areas of Manbij.

The assault is ongoing amidst intense airstrikes and drone attacks by Turkish fighter jets targeting positions and strategic sites of the PKK/YPG terrorist organisation. These strikes stretch from the Tishrin Dam and. Karra-Karkuzak Bridge to the areas in Al-Tabaqah, Al-Raqqah, Ain Al-Arab (Kobani), the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said, Caliber.Az reports via Turkish media. 

The attacks have caused significant damage to infrastructure and residential areas, raising the risk of a humanitarian disaster.

⚫ An itibariyle Türk Bayraktar İHA’larımız, Ayn el-Arab’da PKK hedeflerini milimetrik hassasiyetle vuruyor! Başlıyor muyuz yoksa? 🇹🇷 pic.twitter.com/2eFN74bjD5

— Savaş Medya (@savasmedya) January 10, 2025

Sources have reported that the Turkish army and the Syrian National Army began intense artillery fire on the outskirts of the Tishrin Dam on January 10 morning amid frequent drone flights. 

🚨Türk topçu birlikleri, Tel Tamr kasabasında PKK/YPG’li teröristleri vurdu. pic.twitter.com/h6FfklLSMH

— Conflict (@ConflictTR) January 10, 2025

Turkish fighter jets conducted airstrikes on grain storage facilities in the rural areas near Ain Al-Arab (Kobani), where SOHR activists reported hearing loud explosions and seeing plumes of smoke. 

However, no casualties have been reported. Meanwhile, fighter jets continue flying over the region.

The Turkish Armed Forces are determined to thwart the efforts of terrorist groups such as the PKK/YPG from destabilising the region by exploiting strategic infrastructures like Syria's Tishrin Dam. Regarding the ongoing situation in post-Assad Syria and the PKK/YPG's use of civilians as human shields around the dam, the sources stated: “The Turkish Armed Forces believe in the importance of global cooperation and international solidarity against terrorism." 

The sources emphasized that Türkiye expects the international community to recognise groups like the PKK/YPG as terrorist organisations and to strengthen cooperation in the fight against terrorism. They also condemned the PKK/YPG’s actions, including the use of civilians as human shields around Syria’s Tishrin Dam and sending terrorist groups to the area, as violations of human rights.

"The use of civilians as human shields by terrorist groups for their own interests is not only an inhumane approach, but also an act that shows their desperation and moral bankruptcy.”

The sources added: “Developments in the region are of great importance for both Syria's internal security and Türkiye's border security.” On Syria’s territorial integrity and its people's pursuit of a peaceful solution, the sources stated that if terror groups refuse to surrender, the Turkish Armed Forces are resolved to continue cross-border operations to eliminate this threat. 

"This determination will be maintained until all terrorist elements threatening peace in the region are eliminated in order to put an end to the activities of terrorist organizations within the framework of international law and the principle of the right to self-defence of the United Nations Charter," the sources concluded.

By Naila Huseynova