Islamic State 'almost completely' ousted from Syria's Manbij city: Observatory

[August 06, 2016]    BEIRUT (Reuters) - U.S.-backed forces trying to oust Islamic State militants from the Syrian city of Manbij took "almost complete control" of the city on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

A Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) fighter walks in the silos and mills of Manbij after the SDF took control of it, in Aleppo Governorate, Syria, July 1, 2016. REUTERS/Rodi Said

The Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), which includes the powerful Kurdish YPG militia and Arab fighters, launched its campaign two months ago with the backing of U.S. special forces to drive Islamic State from a last stretch of the Syrian-Turkish frontier.

The official spokesman of the SDF-allied Manbij military council, Sharfan Darwish, told Reuters that battles were continuing but that around 90 percent of the city had now been cleared of Islamic State.

Pockets of militants are still present in the center of the city, the Britain-based Observatory said.

(Reporting by Lisa Barrington; Editing by Gareth Jones)

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