Manbij residents smoke and shave to celebrate freedom from ISIS

[Valin]

Iraq Sun:

14th August, 2016

 

• U.S. backed Kurdish army force ISIS to retreat from Manbij

• With Manbij under control, ISIS access to Europe limited

• Residents celebrate freedom by shaving and smoking

 

MANBIJ, Syria - The residents of Manbij, a stronghold of the Islamic state (ISIS) militant group, were freed after U.S. backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) wrested control over the area. Nasser Haj Mansour of SDF said that Manbij "is under full control," adding that combing operations were on to search any remaining ISIS militants in the town.

 

Reports stated that as the ISIS militants were retreating from Manbij, they had seized 2000 citizens to be used as shields against the ongoing airstrikes. With SDF capturing the town, the ISIS freed some of the citizens while others managed to escape themselves.

 

When the Islamic militants were finally pushed out, the city erupted into spontaneous celebrations. People came pouring out on the streets, men and women danced, sobbed, some men shaved their beards, a woman burnt a niqab and another smoked a cigarette. Video footages also showed citizens cursing the Islamic state and crying out in disbelief that the ISIS had been overpowered.

 

U.S. backed Kurdish Syrian forces had launched an attack on Manbij in May but were only able to capture the city after 73 days of clashes with the militants.

 

(Snip)