Locals in Syria’s Jarabulus protest regime presence

JARABULUS, Syria

The locals of the northern Syrian town of Jarabulus on Friday held demonstrations in protest of the presence of Bashar al-Assad regime and Russian forces in Manbij.

The protesters, displaced from Manbij city, gathered at the town center following Friday prayers and chanted slogans against the Syrian regime.

They held protest banners saying: "Those who bombed us in Idlib shall not police in Manbij and Ayn al-Arab", "Turkmens, Arab and Kurds are brothers", "Militants of YPG/PKK/PYD are a threat to the world".

The protesters raised the flag of the Syrian revolution and stated that the administration of Manbij should be handed over to the locals.

Assad regime forces and Russian military police forces entered the town on Oct. 15 right after the U.S. forces started to withdraw from the region.

The U.S. forces withdrew while Turkey's counter-terrorism operation was held in northern Syria.

Turkey on Oct. 9 launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate terrorists from northern Syria in order to secure Turkey’s borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria’s territorial integrity.

Ankara wants to clear northern Syria east of the Euphrates River of the terrorist PKK and its Syrian offshoot, the YPG/PKK.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the European Union -- has been responsible for deaths of 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.

* Writing by Ali Murat Alhas