place in the Sabaa Bahrat and al-Hezwania neighborhoods, as well as at the National (Watanî) Hospital. During the clashes near the hospital, a CJTF–OIR airstrike killed Abu Suheyl El-Maarawî, ISIL commander of western Manbij. In the Sabaa Bahrat and al-Hezwania neighborhoods, ISIL forces launched a last large-scale counter-attack, resulting fierce fighting, in course of which the ISIL security official of Manbij, Safi Yahiya Rajab, was killed. ISIL also launched another counter-attack along the Sajur River west of Dadat on 11 July, though the assault was repelled by the SDF. From 11–13 July, the SDF made major progress in western Manbij, as it first split the ISIL pocket in a large eastern and small western half, the latter of which the SDF then mostly captured. After several days of heavy fighting, ISIL forces finally retreated from the Sabaa Bahrat and al-Hezwania neighbourhoods after suffering heavy casualties. Meanwhile, heavy fighting continued at the hospital and the Sharia square, where Abu Muhamad al-Kahtani, an ISIL emir, was killed. As their situation became increasingly desperate, the remaining ISIL fighters of Manbij reportedly had begun to negotiate with the SDF for a deal in which they would be allowed to peacefully leave Manbij for other ISIL strongholds. A SDF official declared in regard to the remaining ISIL fighters in Manbij, "Either they will surrender and give up, or fight against us until they die." Two reporters near Manbij were injured by an IED, with Mustafa Mohammed of Ronahi TV dying of his wounds five days later. On 16 July, the Fars News Agency claimed that the SDF had finally captured the National Hospital from ISIL fighters, which was later on confirmed by Reuters. Used as command center and logistics hub, the loss of the hospital was a heavy blow to local ISIL forces. Nevertheless, clashes around the hospital continued the next day, while SDF fighters reached the Al-Aqsa mosque. The YPG had also deployed their elite sniper teams to Manbij, inflicting heavy casualties on ISIL forces. At the same time, SDF fighters captured several sites north and west of the al-Hezwania neighborhood, while Levi Shirley (Heval Agir), a U.S. national fighting for the YPG was killed in Manbij. Furthermore, CJTF–OIR airstrikes hit six ISIL tactical units and destroyed 22 defense positions in Manbij. On 18 and 19 July, ISIL launched counter-attacks in the northern, western and southern countryside in another attempt to break the siege