Turkey-backed FSA forces start moving toward Manbij front in northern Syria

Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Friday said its convoys were moving toward the frontlines with the northern Syrian town of Manbij, in "full readiness... to start military operations to liberate" the town.

The FSA forces started moving from the city of Jarablus, liberated by the group and Turkey during the Euphrates Shield operation. Both lightly and heavily armed fighters were traveling in the FSA convoy.

The deployment toward Manbij started after the Assad regime said Friday that it entered the town held by the PKK terror group's Syrian affiliate the People's Protection Units (YPG).

The Assad regime army said it now "guarantees full security for all Syrian citizens and others present" in the town, which previously was home to a U.S. military base.

The announcement came moments after the YPG terrorists called on regime to take control of Manbij as the countdown for Turkey's crossborder counterrorism operation was underway.

In a statement shared on Twitter, the YPG said it invited the Syrian regime "to send its armed forces to take over these positions and protect Manbij in the face of Turkish threats."

However, the group deleted the tweet sent around 8 a.m. but later in the day reposted the same statement.