SDF deny involvement in Manbij blast, accuse Turkish-backed militants

Shafaq News/ On Saturday, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) denied responsibility for a car bomb explosion in central Manbij, northern Syria, accusing Turkish-backed factions of involvement.

“We condemn the terrorist bombing that took place in Manbij last night and reject any accusations linking our forces to this crime,” the SDF said on X.

The statement called on the people of Manbij to unite and expose what it described as “the real perpetrators among Turkish-backed mercenaries, whose criminal acts of killing, looting, and terrorizing civilians are on the rise.”

The explosion, which occurred outside the Grand Mosque in central Manbij, was confirmed by the Syrian Civil Defense on Friday evening. No immediate casualties were reported.

In parallel developments, the SDF reported injuries among civilians following Turkish artillery shelling on the village of Aslanki, south of Ain al-Arab (Kobani) in northern Syria.

On Friday, fierce clashes erupted along the Abu Qalqal axis, southeast of Manbij, as Turkish-backed factions attempted to regain control of a strategically significant area overseeing vast stretches of territory. The SDF repelled the assault, reportedly killing 22 fighters and destroying four armored vehicles.

A second front saw intense fighting near the village of Imo and Qalaat Najm, southeast of Manbij. According to the SDF, three fighters from Turkish-backed factions were killed, and a "Dushka" armed vehicle was destroyed.

The SDF announced territorial advances in southeastern Manbij, claiming control over villages including Jarn al-Kabir, Jarn al-Saghir, Halawla, Haj Hussein, Tal al-Arsh, Naimiyeh, Aloush, and Qalaat Najm.

The SDF, an alliance formed in 2015 comprising Kurdish, Arab, Assyrian, Turkmen, Armenian, and other fighters, has primarily been focused on combating Islamic State (ISIS). Supported militarily by the United States, the SDF advocates for a democratic federal system in its controlled regions.

However, Turkiye regards the SDF's core component, the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), as an extension of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which Ankara designates as a terrorist organization. This has resulted in repeated Turkish military operations targeting SDF-held territories, exacerbating regional instability.