[87] The Turkish government later stated that it would not participate nor contribute to the offensive,[88] because of the involvement of the Kurdish-majority People's Protection Units (YPG), and because it was beyond the range of artillery stationed in Turkey.

[91] On 5 April, a civilian council was formed in the town of Sarrin under the auspices of the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, of Manbij people who had fled when the Islamic State took over.

Kurdish fellow co-chairman Salih Haji Mohammed stated: "In our social contract, we say we want to have good relations with neighboring countries like Turkey.

[94] The same day the offensive started, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) stated "most of the fighters were from the Kurdish Popular Protection Units (YPG) militia".

ARA News reported that Osama al-Tunisi's escape attempt and death "indicates the collapse of ISIS in the city under the ongoing operation by the western-backed SDF troops".

[125] On 13 June, it was reported that before their withdrawal from the countryside of Manbij, ISIL militants broke into civilians' houses in dozens of villages, killing the men and raping the women.

[128] Former French President François Hollande would later admit in an interview that "the defense council showed a willingness on the part of the general staff to take on more and more special operations and those of the DGSE to continue its very military actions.

[41] On 17 June, heavy clashes were reported at the western entrance of Manbij,[132] while SDF forces continued to advance against the remaining ISIL-held villages at the city's outskirts.

[50] On 18 June, SDF forces reached the western entrance of Manbij, two kilometers from the city center,[134] in the process inflicting heavy casualties on ISIL, including two killed senior commanders.

[40] By the next day the SDF had secured the crucial Al-Kitab crossroad in western Manbij, while they continued to assault the ISIL-held villages of Yasta and Eyn En-Nexîl northeast of the city.

[37] On the morning of 20 June, ISIL fighters attacked forces of the SDF from the side of al-Bab, Jarabulus and the village of Arima in an attempt to break the siege of Manbij.

[148][149] Furthermore, the SDF also captured the Akhdar farms south of the city as well as the local Sharia School in the western suburb, which ISIL had reportedly used as training camp for fighters.

"Exploitation of this information is ongoing to better understand [Islamic State] networks and techniques, including the systems [used] to manage the flow of foreign fighters into Syria and Iraq", the US-led anti-ISIL campaign's spokesman, Colonel Chris Garver, said Wednesday.

[170] Furthermore, a SDF commander claimed that the failed ISIL counter-attacks showed the group's desperation to save their trapped fighters in Manbij, whose situation became increasingly dire.

In the video, the tortured Yousif claimed to have worked as internal security officer for the Northern Sun Battalion, and that the SDF had suffered high casualties in the battle for Manbij.

[13] Meanwhile, in an effort to tip the balance in the fierce fight to free the city from ISIL, SDF forces in Manbij had called in reinforcements from Kobani, Al-Hasakah and Qamishli.

[171] SOHR also reported heavy clashes in Mankubah village at the outskirts of Manbij,[citation needed] as ISIL launched a major attempt to break through the SDF siege.

[186] At the same time, SDF fighters captured several sites north and west of the al-Hezwania neighborhood,[187] while Levi Shirley (Heval Agir), a U.S. national fighting for the YPG was killed in Manbij.

By 22 July, the SDF had reportedly captured 90% of western Manbij, though a number of small ISIL pockets in the area continued to resist, most notably at the Tetbekat Prison.

Thus, there are reports of ISIL fighters planting large numbers of bombs and landmines in Manbij's houses, shops, schools and other public places to detonate them while retreating from their positions.

[202] While ISIL forces continued their attacks in the countryside on 31 July, as heavy fighting was reported in Adasa village west of Manbij, the SDF achieved a number of breakthroughs in the city itself.

[213] SDF fighters continued to advance over the following days, capturing Mankuba village in Manbij's northern outskirts,[214] as well as the al-Hal market, the al-Thor school, the Sinaa and al-Tal neighborhoods in the city itself following heavy clashes.

"[227] By 9 August, ISIL fighters still held parts of the Cultural Center, Emel Hospital, a hotel, the Security Crossroad, a post office, the Al-Mûxeta market, the Al-Serab and Al-Cura neighborhoods, the Agriculture School and the Jarablus road, which they still defended fiercely amid slow SDF advances.

[51][249] Just a few hours after the declaration, the leader of the council Abdel Sattar al-Jader was assassinated in al-Shyoukh at the Sajur River frontline by unknown gunmen, who may have belonged to the Turkish National Intelligence Organization according to the SDF.

[253] As Turkey and several Turkish-backed FSA groups launched their offensive to capture Jarabulus from ISIL, reportedly 3,000 civilians fled from the town to the SDF-controlled areas around Manbij.

[254] US Vice President Joe Biden demanded the same day, that the YPG should give Manbij over to Arab SDF forces and retreat to the eastern side of the Euphrates.

[258][259] Secretary of State John Kerry however assured the Turkish Foreign Minister Çavuşoğlu on 25 August, that the SDF had started to retreat to the eastern side of the Euphrates.

[266] As Turkish-backed rebels overran SDF positions near Jarabulus, ISIL reportedly used this infighting among anti-ISIL forces to launch a counter-attack in the southern countryside, retaking Huthan village on 29 August.

[267] On 3 September the YPG and the YPJ repelled an attack on the village of Til Osman, 12 km southeast of the Tishrin Dam, and seized several small arms and ammunition after killing three IS fighters and capturing two of them.

[269] After the offensive, Manbij and its surroundings were largely integrated into the Shahba region, whose government was formed by the Syrian National Democratic Alliance (TWDS), which aims to implement social reforms in the area.