Syria's PYD plans offensive west of Euphrates

By Mohamed Misto

ALEPPO, Syria

The terrorist PYD group is preparing to stage a military offensive west of Firat (Euphrates) River with a view to seizing control of northern Syria’s Daesh-held city of Manbij, local sources have said.

"PYD leaders announced via social media that they were planning to launch a major offensive aimed at taking Manbij," one local source told Anadolu Agency on Wednesday.

According to the same source, the PYD -- the Syrian affiliate of the terrorist PKK organization -- is seeking to rally Arab and Turkmen tribes in Manbij to its side.

"The tribes, however, appear to have rejected the PYD’s attempts to win them over, given their distrust of the group due to its earlier mistreatment of Arabs and Turkmen in areas under its control," the source said.

By seizing Manbij, the same sources added, the PYD hopes to advance north and consolidate its control over the border area with Turkey.

In recent months, the PYD -- backed by U.S.-led air support -- has seized control of several Daesh-held areas in northern and eastern Syria.

Turkish authorities, for their part, have repeatedly said they would not allow the PYD terror organization to cross the Euphrates River.