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UP FRONTFriday 10 June 2016
Setbacks mounting for IS in Syria, Iraq, Libya Israeli options may be limited
ZEINA KARAM
SUSAN GEORGE
Associated Press
BEIRUT (AP) — U.S.-backed
fighters in Syria converged
from three sides on an Is-
lamic State stronghold near
the Turkish border Thursday,
Fighters take a selfie while firing artillery during fight against Islamic State militants in Fallujah, Iraq.
The anti-IS offensive poses a significant challenge to the extremist group as it tries to stave off at-
tacks across parts of Syria and Iraq, where it declared a so-called caliphate in 2014, and in more
recently seized territory in chaotic Libya.
while Iraqi special forces
pushed deeper into Fal-
lujah, one of the last bas-
tions of the militant group in
western Iraq.
In Libya, IS militants were
fleeing their stronghold of
Sirte as forces loyal to a
U.N.-brokered government
advanced, with some
fighters reportedly cutting
off beards and long hair to
blend in with civilians.
The anti-IS offensives posed
a significant challenge to
the extremist group as it
tries to stave off multiple at- months of fighting that left
tacks across parts of Syria
and Iraq, where it declared
a so-called caliphate in
2014, and in more recently
seized territory in chaotic
Libya.
If the U.S.-backed Syria
Democratic Forces cap-
ture Manbij, it will be the
biggest strategic defeat for
IS in Syria since July 2015,
when it lost the border town
of Tal Abyad, a major sup-
ply route to the militants’
de facto capital of Raqqa.
Manbij, which had a pre-
war population of 100,000,
is one of the largest IS-held
urban areas in northern
Aleppo province and is a
waypoint on an IS supply
line between Raqqa and
the Turkish frontier.
In a sign of the town’s per-
ceived significance, the
SDF’s advances were ac-
companied by intense
airstrikes from the U.S.-led
coalition battling the IS
militants. The U.S. Central
Command said the coali-
tion has conducted more
than 105 strikes in support
of the battle to liberate
Manbij.
The airstrikes recalled the
battle for the Kurdish town
of Kobani in northern Syria.
That campaign saw hun-
dreds of U.S. airstrikes to
support Kurdish forces who
wrested Kobani from IS in
January 2015 after four
the town in ruins.
Since then, members of
the U.S. and French military
have joined in to advise the
anti-IS forces in northern
Syria.
Syrian journalist Mustafa
Bali, who visited the front
lines in Manbij, told The As- firmed that French special
sociated Press the extrem-
ists didn’t appear to be
preparing to withdraw from
the town as they had from
other areas.
On Wednesday, black
smoke covered Manbij as
militants set tires ablaze in
an apparent attempt to
cut visibility from coalition
after deadly Tel Aviv shootingÂ
warplanes, he said.
“Daesh is preparing for a JOSEF FEDERMAN
battle inside the city,” Bali Associated Press
said, using an Arabic ac- JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel imposed travel restrictions
ronym for the IS group. SDF Thursday on tens of thousands of Palestinians and
official Nasser Haj Mansour sent hundreds of additional troops into the West Bank
said Wednesday about in response to a deadly shooting at a popular Tel
15,000 civilians had fled. Aviv tourist spot. But as the nation’s leaders vowed
tough responses, they stopped short of taking wider-
scale military action.
The attack has presented Israel’s newly configured
Cabinet, and its firebrand new defense minister, with
its first big test. A relatively muted response by Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Security Cabinet re-
(AP Photo/Anmar Khalil) flected the lack of options that Israel seems to have
as it grapples with a nine-month wave of violence.
A statement by the Military The shooting, carried out by two West Bank Pales-
Council of the City of Man- tinians, was among the deadliest and most brazen
bij, which is part of the SDF, attacks since violence erupted last September. Tel
said all roads from the east, Aviv’s Sarona district, a popular shopping and res-
north and south have been taurant area, was packed with people enjoying a
cut. warm evening outdoors when it was targeted late
Its forces are now close Wednesday. Four people were killed.
enough to target IS militants After Thursday’s Security Cabinet meeting, Netanya-
inside the town, but they hu went to the site of the attack and said Israel would
are holding off storming it prevail in its struggle against Palestinian militants.
to avoid civilian casualties, “This nation is strong. They will not defeat us,” he said,
the statement added. accusing Palestinian leaders of failing to condemn
The Britain-based Syr- the attack. “That just reminds us who and what we
ian Observatory for Human face. We will win.”
Rights said SDF fighters are Netanyahu has repeatedly blamed Palestinian in-
about 800 meters (yards) citement for fueling the ongoing violence. The Pal-
from the last main road link- estinians say the fighting stems from frustration over
ing Manbij with the city of nearly 50 years of Israeli military occupation.
Aleppo. At least 132 IS mili- In the West Bank, Palestinian President Mahmoud Ab-
tants, 21 SDF fighters and 37 bas issued a statement condemning violence, but
civilians have been killed made no direct reference to the Tel Aviv shootings.
since the SDF offensive be- “The presidency has repeatedly emphasized that it
gan on May 31, the Obser- stands against attacks on civilians, regardless of their
vatory said. sources or justifications,” the statement said.
In France, an official con- Throughout the fighting, Abbas, an opponent of vi-
olence, has stopped short of explicitly criticizing at-
forces are offering training tacks on Israel, arguing that Israel bears responsibility
and advice to SDF fighters. for the bloodshed and wary that he could be seen
The French forces are with as weak by his people.
SDF fighters who are fight- In Israel’s initial response to the shooting, COGAT, an
ing IS, according to the of- Israeli defense body, said early Thursday that it had
ficial from French Defense frozen 83,000 permits for Palestinians in the West Bank
Ministry. to visit relatives in Israel during the current Muslim holy
month of Ramadan. Special Ramadan permits were
Continued on page 27 also suspended for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to
travel out of the blockaded territory and to attend
prayers at the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
The army also announced that it had deployed
two additional battalions — comprising hundreds of
troops from infantry and special forces units — to the
West Bank.
Among the participants in the Israeli Cabinet meet-
ing was the new defense minister, Avigdor Lieber-
man, the leader of an ultranationalist party known
for his hard-line views toward the Palestinians.
“I promise that everyone who was involved in this
murderous terror attack will not evade punishment
and we will reach them and bring them to justice,”
he said.
Despite the tough language, the Cabinet an-
nounced no additional action.
Even amid widespread anger over the shooting, Is-
raeli officials appear to have few choices for con-
fronting the violence that has killed 32 Israelis and
some 200 Palestinians since September. q