Minbic – Legacy of a battle with heavy sacrifices

While all eyes are on Damascus and the calls for political solutions and dialog are multiplying, Turkey continues to wage war in Syria. The SDF is currently facing fierce attacks by the Turkish proxy Islamists of the SNA in Minbic. But why is Minbic in this kind of battle? We want to take a look back to when the SDF liberated Minbic from IS (PART I) and draw attention to the role of the internationalists in this battle for a diverse, self-determined and free society (PART II).

June 2016 – Operation Ş. Faysal Abu Layla begins

In late 2015, the SDF and YPG captured the Tishrim Dam from Daesh terrorists allowing a safe crossing of the mighty Euphrates river and opening a passage for the future liberation of Minbic Canton. In 2016, YPG forces joined their SDF allies (primarily the Manbic Military Council (MMC)) in a major operation to liberate Minbic (also spelled Manbij or Minbij) and its surrounds from the brutal criminal regime of Daesh. At the start of the Syrian war, Minbic was a multi-ethnic community consisting of Arabs, Kurds, Armenians, Circassians and Chechens. The city and surrounding areas were taken by FSA rebels in 2012 and then overrun by Daesh in 2014. The main goals of the Minbic offensive were the liberation of the population from Daesh, as well as cutting off their lines of supply and retreat which flowed in both directions across the Turkish border.

The offensive began on 31 May 2016. The offensive was especially dangerous and difficult as Daesh had destroyed a vital bridge crossing the Euphrates, causing all movement to be made via boat crossing, creating slow moving and easily spotted targets for terrorists. The first phase of the operation was the liberation of the villages and countryside around Minbic. Within a week, the SDF had driven Daesh from more than 400 square kilometers of land. Roads to Raqqa and Aleppo were cut off to prevent escape and reinforcement of ISIS fighters. During the operation MMC commander Abu Layla was martyred on 5 June, and the operation was named in his honour from then on. By 10 June, Minbic was completely encircled and the fight for the city began in earnest. During this time Daesh terrorists had launched several major counter offensives in vain attempts to retake the city from the liberation forces. The two major ISIS counter-offensives began on July 1st, attacking the SDF from all directions but failed in their attempts to regain their lost ground. The second on 28 July was also a failure; the SDF and YPG were able to successfully defend the city from the terrorist gangs.

By 12 August, the city of Minbic had been liberated, and by 27 August, the surrounding countryside was declared free of Daesh. This was in spite of fierce fighting and numerous counter-offensives launched by Daesh. The result was a decisive victory for SDF forces. Hundreds of lives were given in this operation which allowed many thousands of displaced persons who had fled the fighting since 2012 to return, and the establishment of multi-ethnic democratic structures which flourish to this day.

The Turkish state and their Islamist mercenary gangs seized the opportunity to attack SDF forces during their engagement with ISIS, attacking SDF fighters with artillery and airstrikes throughout the fight for Minbic. On 24 August, they launched “Operation Euphrates Shield” against SDF forces around Jarabalus with the intention of seizing Minbic and preventing the SDF from connecting Afrîn and Minbic cantons. These airstrikes were carried out in airspace controlled by the United States. The Fascist Turkish state and its President Erdoğan have long engaged in systematic oppression and ethnic cleansing of Kurdish people. In justification of Operation Euphrates Shield, Erdogan said; “What is important is to prepare a controlled life in this enormous area, and the most suitable people for it are Arabs. These areas are not suitable for the lifestyle of Kurds … because these areas are virtually desert.” This assertion is not only clearly racist rhetoric, but also blatantly incorrect as the Syrian Kurds had lived in northern Syria for centuries and the region is home to all peoples, ethnicities and religions. The Turkish state has led such a series of oppressive attacks against the Kurds including banning the Kurdish language, culture, music and literature. The main goal for the illegal invasion is to prevent the cantons of Northern Syria from being united. A recognized and united Kurdish culture is Turkey’s biggest perceived ‘threat.’ The fascist Turkish State is engaging in ethnic cleansing and “Turkification” in all of the regions of Rojava under its occupation.

Internationalist fighters were heavily involved in the fighting in and around Minbic and many of them gave their lives or suffered injuries. According to Manbij Military Council, from 1 June to 15 August 2016, 264 SDF fighters were martyred in the Minbic campaign, and more still would give their lives in defending the city and its surroundings in the coming months and years.

Şehîd Abu Layla (Faisal Abdi Bilal Saadoun) was the commander of the Northern Sun Battalion, a group of FSA fighters who were among the first groups to form the SDF along with the YPG/YPJ. Abu Layla, born to Arab and Kurdish parents near Kobanê was a car mechanic before the war. He joined the rebellion against the Assad regime in 2012. With the Northern Sun Battalion, he fought alongside the YPG/YPJ in Kobanê and led his fighters in a successful campaign against Daesh, fighting in Heseke, Ayn Issa and Şaddadî among other places. He was instrumental in the founding of the SDF and the Manbij Military Council. He was shot by an ISIS sniper in a targeted assassination on 3 June 2016 and fell şehîd from his injuries on 5 June.

More on the actual situation in Minbic and further background information you can find here.