Syrian forces advance into heart of ISIL’s main supply line.

ISIL set to lose Syrian stronghold on key supply route .

Fighters from the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF) inside a safe house near Manbij, Syria, on June 21, 2016.Rodi Said / Reuters

BEIRUT // US-backed Syrian troops breached ISIL defences on Thursday to push into the outskirts of Manbij, a key stronghold and supply post for the extremists between Turkey and northern Syria. If the town is captured, it will be the biggest strategic defeat for ISIL in Syria since July 20215 when it lost the border town of Tal Abyad. It would also further jeopardise ISIL’s loosening hold on Raqqa, its self-proclaimed capital in Syria.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are predominantly Kurdish, are gradually advancing into Manbij town centre, with intense fighting between the SDF and ISIL on the south-west, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which tracks events from on-the-spot reports from activists in Syria. Its director, Rami Abdurrahman, said the SDF recaptured a village about a kilometre outside the town, enabling them to move on to seize two squares on the western side of Manbij. before advancing toward a third square with air support from the US-led coalition.

An adviser to the SDF, Nasser Haj Mansour, confirmed that troops had moved into Manbij from its northern edge on Wednesday and clashed with ISIL fighters close to grain silos. The silos remain in ISIL hands but journalist Mustafa Bali, who was on the front line on Wednesday said it was only a matter of time before they were taken leaving only a highway between the SDF and the town centre.

The US. Central Command said in a statement that the Syrian Arab Coalition, which is part of the SDF, “have consolidated their position around Manbij in anticipation of the next phase of operations. For the last seven days they have been refining their plans as to how to gain a foothold in Manbij and maintain the safety of the civilian population.” Thousands of civilians have fled Manbij in recent weeks after being trapped there by ISI but displaced people from the Manbij area were beginning to return to their villages after they were cleared of ISIL fighters.

There are 300 special forces troops embedded with the SDF and France is also providing training.

The operation against ISIL in Manbij began on May 31. The international coalition has since carried out more than 233 air strikes in the area. Meanwhile, ISIL claimed its fighters had repelled an SDF advance from north of Manbij with a suicide bomber attack that killed many fighters. “They are no longer a surprise for the forces in Manbij,” said SDF adviser Mr Mansour. “The tactic and their moves have become known and ineffective, particularly when there is always air support.

Also on Thursday, air strikes and mortar shelling killed at least eight civilians in the divided city of Aleppo, Syria state media reported. Aleppo has witnessed some of the fiercest fighting of the past months with hundreds killed on both sides of the battle line. The city has been split between rebel and government areas since 2012 and no ceasefire has ever held.

* Associated Press