SDF gained new insights in foreign fighter flows

[Anthea]

Pentagon: Syrian Democratic Forces gained new insights in foreign fighter flows
Reporting by: Wladimir van Wilgenburg

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have gained new insights in foreign fighter flows, which could help stemming ISIS threat, a Pentagon spokesman said.

“One important development is the SDF forces have cleared territory. They have also gained new insight into ISIL’s operations in the area, including the flow of foreign fighters. We believe that this will be helpful as we work to stem the foreign fighter flow and the risk that ISIL poses outside of Syria and Iraq,” Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, using another acronym for ISIS.

US officials say that the current Manbij operation launched on 31 May will prevent ISIS fighters from traveling to the West from Syria and pose threats there. Moreover, it will prevent foreign fighters from traveling to Syria from Turkey.

“And in Syria, the [SDF] forces fighting to take back Manbij city are tightening the noose around this critical crossroad between Raqqa and the Turkish border,” Cook added.

Manbij was also known as little London for the huge number of foreign fighters and was used by ISIS to hatch plots against the West. Reportedly, there are still dozens of foreign fighters inside Manbij city.

Due to the importance of the Manbij pocket, ISIS is resisting heavily, and is attempting to break the siege of the SDF forces on the city of Manbij. On Monday over 142 ISIS fighters were killed in a failed counter-offensive.

“They want to break the siege so they can escape the city,” the SDF-led Manbij Military Council said in a statement.

http://aranews.net/2016/06/pentagon-syr ... ter-flows/