Syrian fighters backed by Turkey have been gathering around Manbij in recent days in a bid to retake the strategic town NAZEER AL-KHATIB/afp/Getty ImagesKurdish militias have asked President Assad’s forces to enter territory they control to defend against an imminent Turkish offensive in northern Syria. It marks a major turning point in the conflict as President Trump’s decision to pull US troops out of Syria forces a realignment of alliances between the country’s myriad factions and a scramble for territory and influence. In a statement this morning the Syrian army claimed that it had entered the strategic town of Manbij, bringing it back under the control of Damascus for the first time since July 2012. The Syrian flag was reportedly to have been raised over the town. “Responding to the calls of people in Manbij, and regarding the full commitment of the Syrian Army to its national responsibilities…

Source: The Times December 28, 2018 12:00 UTC