handed over to the Manbij Military Council. Meanwhile, SDF units continued their offensive against ISIL during the day, as they took control of seven villages south of Jarabulus before the Turkish-backed rebels could capture them. On 26–27 August, while fighting near Jarabulus escalated, the SDF captured several more villages from ISIL south of the Tishrin Dam, with the Manbij Military Council later stating that it would send its forces north to aid the Jarabulus Military Council in its fight against Turkey and the Turkish-backed rebels. Aftermath As Turkish-backed rebels overran SDF positions near Jarabulus, ISIL reportedly used this infighting among anti-ISIL forces to launch a counter-attack in the southern countryside, retaking Huthan village on 29 August. On 3 September the YPG and the YPJ repelled an attack on the village of Til Osman, 12 km southeast of the Tishrin Dam, and seized several small arms and ammunition after killing three IS fighters and capturing two of them. On 10 September, ISIL forces launched another counter-attack, aimed at retaking the villages of Khan al-Homr and Tal Aswad from the SDF. After the offensive, Manbij and its surroundings were largely integrated into the Shahba region, whose government was formed by the Syrian National Democratic Alliance (TWDS), which aims to implement social reforms in the area. Thus, when a local police force was organized in October 2016, female recruits were included from the outset. In late October and early November, the SDF further advanced west of Manbij, capturing several more villages as well as the significant town of Arima from ISIL. On January 20, 2018, Turkey started a military operation heading to Afrin in northern Syria. Turkish President Erdogan repeatedly has promised to press further east toward the SDF-controlled and U.S.-patrolled city of Manbij. Erdogan, President of Turkey since 2014, has threatened US forces with an 'Ottoman slap'. See also Tokhar massacre Turkish military intervention in Syria Tell Abyad offensive Al-Shaddadi offensive (2016) Northern Aleppo offensive (March–June 2016) Mosul offensive (2016) Third Battle of Fallujah Northern Raqqa offensive (May 2016) 2016 Abu Kamal offensive List of wars and battles involving ISIL Notes References Bibliography External links The YPG's Next Move: A Two Front War for the Manbij Pocket Holding Territory Taken From ISIS in the Manbij Pocket On the Front Line in the Bloody Fight to Take Manbij From ISIS Military operations of the Syrian civil war in 2016 Military operations of the