US Unable to Verify Claims Kurdish Forces Destroyed Turkish Tank Near Manbij

The US coalition against the Daesh terror group (outlawed in Russia) is unable to verify claims by the Manbij Military Council (MMC) that Kurdish forces destroyed a Turkish armored vehicle in northwest Syria, an Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson told Sputnik.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – On Wednesday, claims circulated on social media that Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) under the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fired on a Turkish military armored vehicle headed to Boughaz on the western Manbij front.

"We have seen the reports, however, we are unable to verify these claims at this time," the spokesperson said.

The spokesman further said the coalition had no additional information on reports the Kurds used a US-manufactured TOW anti-tank missile to destroy the vehicle.

The Manbij Military Council, an SDF component that controls Manbij, had earlier posted a photo claiming to depict the missile system being prepared.

The spokesperson said the coalition continues to advise and assist the MMC to counter Daesh.

On Tuesday, Operation Inherent Resolve told Sputnik that the coalition had deployed additional troops near Manbij to ensure there was no persistent YPG presence in the area.

Clashes between YPG and SDF with Turkish-backed Syrian rebels have been reported around western Manbij in recent days.

Ankara considers the YPG to be an extension of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which has been designated as a terror group in Turkey and the United States.

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