Casualties Reported as Blast Rips through Syria’s Manbij (+Video)
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Several people were killed, as a powerful explosion hit the northern Syrian city of Manbij.
Local sources claimed that Kurdish-allied US soldiers were among the dead. The blast happened near a restaurant and market.
Eyewitnesses in Manbij told Sputnik that leaders of the local military council and a certain delegation were at the site of the blast. According to them, the explosion occurred near a cafe where the leaders of the council and guests from the delegation, "whose identity has not yet been established", had gathered.
"Six civilians were killed and 19 others wounded as a result of an explosion in the center of the city of Manbij, while a US military patrol was passing", Al Jazeera said.
The death toll was later revised up to 9 killed, according to the broadcaster, adding that the death toll included two US soldiers, one Kurdish fighter, and six civilians.
Daesh (ISIS or ISIL) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
According to conflicting media reports, the explosion claimed the lives of between 2 and 5 US soldiers. A military helicopter allegedly landed near the scene in order to rescue survivors.
Manbij is a strategically located city, which is at the center of a tense confrontation between the Kurds and Turkey, which considers the Kurdish fighters to be terrorists. Ankara has threatened to launch a military operation to kick them out of the city.
The US, which supported Kurdish militias with arms and training is now in the process of withdrawing its troops from Kurdish-controlled parts of Syria.
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