ERBIL, Kurdistan Region—A military council has been created with the aim of liberating the northern Syrian city of al-Bab from the Islamic State (ISIS, Daesh). 

“We will try to save the people of the city from Daesh,” a representative of the al-Bab Military Council said at a ceremony on Sunday announcing its formation. “Also, the gate is open for people to volunteer. Who wants to may contact us and join our ranks, adding to our strength.”

The announcement comes two days after the liberation of Manbij by the SDF under the umbrella of the Manbij Military Council, the body formed to oversee the military operation to retake the city and ensuring the security and management of the city after its liberation. 

The dominant force in the Manbij Military Council was the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which is made up mainly of the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG). The international coalition also supported the council with airstrikes in the two and a half month long offensive to retake Manbij.

The al-Bab Military Council has requested support from the international coalition. 

Al-Bab is located 50 kilometres southwest of Manbij, halfway between Manbij and Aleppo, in the direction of the Afrin canton of Rojava. It had a pre-war population of about 63,000, mainly Sunni Arabs.