The military council for Manbij and its countryside has launched a new initiative for the city that is located in the north-east countryside of Aleppo. This time, the council is proposing that wounded and injured ISIS soldiers leave the city in exchange for civilians being able to move to areas liberated by the Syrian Democratic Forces through safe routes. ISIS refused a previous initiative that the council suggested last week.

Despite the Syrian opposition not being involved in the battle of Manbij, it considers what is happening a clear attempt by Syrian Democratic Forces to impose a demographic change, according to what an FSA leader told Asharq Al-Awsat. He added that “the objective that the Kurds are striving towards will be achieved either through international coalition aircraft shelling civilians or by launching initiatives like this that will lead to people being ejected from their areas of residence.”

The council launched an initiative last Thursday and gave ISIS 48 hours to implement it but ISIS did not respond. Meanwhile, Shaam News Network quoted the leader of an area called Al-Bab as saying “I do not mind wounded and sick civilians leaving on the condition that our wounded soldiers are allowed to enter the Al-Bab area and that humanitarian aid is allowed to enter the city”.