SDF: Manbij commander Adnan killed in Raqqa offensive

Rudaw
ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — Adnan Abu Amjad, the commander of the Manbij Military Council, has perished in the battle for Raqqa, according to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Participating in the Wrath of the Euphrates campaign, Amjad, was killed "in the battle of resistance against terrorism," the SDF stated on Tuesday.

Amjad had fought against ISIS militants in the battles for Kobani, Manbij, Shaddadah in northern Syria.

He was described as "a solid fighter who knew no fear or hesitation."


The Manbij Military Council is one of the units participating under the SDF umbrella and backed by the US-led international anti-ISIS coalition.

Per the SDF General Command, Amjad continued  to be "first in the trenches" and "the barrell of his gun will not fade" until the "defeat of terrorism."

No further details were provided on Amjad's death. 

A photo of Abu Amjad was tweeted by Brett McGurk, the US Special Presidential Envoy to the anti-ISIS Coalition.

"Was honored to have met Abu Amjad. A warrior against ISIS. Here with his parents freed in Manbij. He gave his life yesterday in Raqqa. RIP [rest in peace]," wrote McGurk.
 

The Raqqa Campaign reported forces on the eastern front liberated Al-Mansour neighborhood on Tuesday, with violent clashes in the western neighborhood of Al-Nahda.

 

A Kurdish commander told Reuters on Tuesday that the fight for Raqqa should end within two months, but with intense fighting.

Nowruz Ahmed, a member of the People's Protection Units (YPG) female unit, the YPG, is a member of the SDF's military council.

She estimated that there are now between 700 and 1,000 fighters left in Raqqa  and between 5,000 to 10,000 civilians trapped.

Ahmed said 60 percent of the SDF’s 50,000 fighters were Arab, 30 percent Kurdish, and 10 percent from other ethnic groups.


The coalition has estimated that 60 percent of Raqqa has been retaken since the operation began on June 6.

SDF conducted operations in the summer of 2016 during which it successfully recaptured Manbij from ISIS militants. SDF declared the operation had liberated more than 170,000 civilians.