By Ma'amoun Al-Saied, Baladi News, Aleppo Countryside
Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) are working on building a fake public base in Manbij and Jarabulus in the Eastern countryside of Aleppo, by buying the loyalty of some people and giving them administrative positons, according to one of the rebels' leaderships. Such acts were done by SDF concurrently with equipping their militias for "The grand battle of Manbij", as propagated by the allies of Kurdish units in the region.
Abou Ahmed, one of the leaders of Faylaq Al-Sham (Al Sham Legion) says: "SDF militias are trying to legitimize their expansion in the towns and cities of the Eastern countryside of Aleppo by greasing the palms of some notorious and suspected people in Manbij and Jarabulus and presenting them to the media, as if they are the people of those towns. They even went further claiming that "Manbij rebels' battalion" has joined them, taking into consideration that the battalion posted a video in which they denied all the allegations by the SDF.
"A few days ago, SDF announced the formation of what they called (Manbij Administrative Council) and (The Military Council in Manbij) with the support of some dignitaries from the town who were linked to abduction operations when the city was still rebel-held", he added.
The local council in Manbij, declared in a statement its refusal of the Councils formed by SDF accusing them of representing themselves.
"We categorically reject any federal projects presented to us as fait accompli, which pave the way for dividing Syria, stressing that Syria is a civil and just state based on the principle of equal citizenship among all Syrians", the statement added.
The statement described the process of forming the Council of SDF militias as a Baathist way, pointing out that those who did this are "people with no popular base and do not represent anyone."
The statement rejected what it called "trading the issue of the Kurds" in Syria, adding: "We clarify to our great Syrian people and our brothers from Kurds in particular that you are an essential part and parcel of the Syrian people with the same rights and duties, and we refuse to trade your cause that is ours too."
