Manbij offensive

Manbij offensive (2016)
Part of the Rojava–Islamist conflict and the American-led intervention in the Syrian Civil War

Map showing SDF territorial gains during the offensive
Date31 May – 27 August 2016
(2 months, 3 weeks and 6 days)
Location
Aleppo Governorate, Syria
Result

Major SDF victory

  • SDF captures ~105 villages and farms by 14 June[6]
  • SDF captures Manbij city by 12 August[7][8]
  • SDF secures defensive line in the northern countryside by 21 August,[9] and continues offensive in the southern countryside until 27 August[9]
  • Formation of Al-Bab Military Council
Belligerents

Syrian Democratic Forces
International Freedom Battalion
YBŞ[1]
YJÊ[1]
Supported by:
CJTF–OIR[2][3]

Islamic State Islamic State
Commanders and leaders
Adnan Abu Amjad[10]
(Council general commander & Northern Sun Battalion deputy commander)[11]
Abu Layla (DOW)[12]
(Northern Sun Battalion commander)
Yousif Abdo Sa'don (POW)[13]
(Northern Sun Battalion security officer, alleged)
Botan Türkmeni[14]
(Manbij Revolutionaries Battalion commander)
Mustafa Manbij[15][16]
(Manbij Revolutionaries Battalion commander)
Rojda Felat[17]
(YPJ commander)
Abdel Sattar al-Jader †[18]
(Jarabulus Military Council and Euphrates Jarabulus Brigades chief commander)
Muhammad Ahmed[19]
(Jarabulus Military Council commander)
Haqi Kobani[20]
(YPG commander)[21]
Abdelaziz Yunis[22]
(SDF senior commander)
Merxas Kobanê[23]
(SDF commander)
Mohammed Abu Amdil[24]
(SDF commander)
Habun Osman[25]
(SDF commander)
Şervan Afrin[26]
(SDF commander)
Diyar Şexler[26]
(SDF commander)
Heval Shiyar[27]
(SDF commander)
Judi Derek[28]
(SDF commander)
"Koçber"[1]
(YJÊ commander)		 Islamic State Osama al-Tunisi †[29]
(Emir of Manbij)
Abu Khalid al-Tunisi †[30]
(1st replacement Emir of Manbij)
Abu Omaar al-Muhajiri[31]
(2nd replacement Emir of Manbij)
Abu Yahya al-Shami[32][33]
(commander of Manbij by August)
Abu Muhamad al-Kahtani †[34]
(Emir in Manbij)
Unknown Russian emir in Manbij[35]
Islamic State Dahham al-Hussein †[36]
(Emir of Um Mayyal)
Abu Hamza al-Ansari †[37]
(ISIL senior leader)
Abu Suheyl El-Maarawî †[38]
(commander of western Manbij)
Abu Aisha †[39]
(commander of eastern Manbij)
Abu Talha al-Shami †[40]
(ISIL senior commander)
Abu Hadid †[40]
(ISIL senior commander)
Abu al-Hayjaa †[41]
(Hisba police chief of Manbij)
Islamic State Abu Huzaifa al-Ordoni †[42]
(ISIL field commander)
Islamic State Hasan Rimo †[42]
(pro-ISIL tribal leader)
Islamic State Safi Yahiya Rajab †[43]
(security official of Manbij)
Islamic State Unknown Moroccan ISIL field commander †[44]
Islamic State Leading Sharia official of Manbij †[44][45]
Islamic State Ezzit Raad †[46]
(prominent battalion commander)
Units involved

Syrian Democratic Forces

International Freedom Battalion

Asayish[54]
Self-Defense Forces (HXP)[1]
Civilian Defense Force (HPC)[1]
Khabour Guards[55]
United States United States Armed Forces

United Kingdom British SOF (alleged)[60]
France French SOF[61]
Germany German KSK[4] (denied by Germany)[5]

Military of ISIL

Strength

2,900–12,000 fighters[64][65][66]

Germany c. 50[68]

Several thousand fighters

Casualties and losses
315 killed (SOHR claim)[71]
1,650 killed (ISIL claim)[72]
264 killed (SDF claim)[73]
700–1,000 killed (other claims)[74]		 1,026 killed (SOHR claim)[71]
400 killed (ISIL claim)[72]
4,180 killed, 112 captured (SDF claim)[73]
444 civilians killed[71] and 2,000+ abducted[75]
~78,000 civilians displaced[76][77][78]

The Manbij offensive, code-named Operation Martyr and Commander Faysal Abu Layla by the SDF, was a 2016 military offensive operation by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to capture the city of Manbij from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and eventually, the ISIL-held areas through Al-Bab to Herbel, in the area referred to as the "Manbij Pocket"[n 1][80] in the northern Aleppo Governorate.[81] The main goal of the offensive was to cut off ISIL's last supply routes from Turkey, and to prevent ISIL fighters from escaping across the Syria-Turkey border.[58][82][83] For the first five days of the offensive, the US-led coalition conducted over 55 airstrikes in support of the SDF.[82] After capturing Manbij city on 12 August, the SDF announced that the offensive would continue until the whole countryside around Manbij was captured,[1] though the offensive effectively ended shortly after the Turkish Armed Forces initiated Operation Euphrates Shield to prevent the SDF uniting the regions of Rojava.[84]

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