Fires in Manbij as Turkish-backed mercenaries refine fuel in residential Areas

The sources confirmed that two major fires broke out in recent hours and were extinguished by residents using their own equipment.

According to the same sources, these mercenaries—alongside traders affiliated with them—carry out crude oil refining operations in the middle of residential and agricultural areas in Manbij, despite the grave risks such practices pose to civilians’ lives, public health, and the environment.

One major fire reportedly erupted days ago in the al-Asadiyah neighborhood, causing no casualties, while another large blaze broke out today along the Yasti road in the northern outskirts of Manbij, an area rich in vegetation, but also without reported damages.

The sources warned of the severe danger these primitive oil refining activities pose to both civilians and the environment, especially given their proximity to residential homes and farmland.

Video footage obtained by ANHA Agency shows massive flames rising among houses in a residential zone, as local residents use their own machinery in efforts to contain the fire.

These incidents come amid ongoing destruction of vegetation cover by Turkish-backed armed groups across northwestern Syria, where large numbers of trees are being cut, farmland bulldozed, and vast areas burned without accountability.

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ANHA