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IS conflict: Manbij residents celebrate liberation

Source: BBC

Residents in the northern Syrian city of Manbij have been celebrating new freedoms after being liberated from the rule of so-called Islamic State.

They have poured into the streets enjoying basic rights they had been denied for two years, including shaving off their beards and smoking.

US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters fought 73 days to drive IS out of Manbij, close to the Turkish border.

About 2,000 civilians being used as human shields were also freed.

A woman is shown smoking - one of many interdictions under ISImage copyrightREUTERS
Image captionA woman is shown smoking – one of many interdictions under IS
Civilians evacuated from an Islamic State-controlled neighbourhood of Manbij, Syria, 12 AugustImage copyrightREUTERS
Image captionOne happy evacuee could be seen having his beard cut off
This woman decided to burn her niqab to mark the end of IS ruleImage copyrightREUTERS
Image captionThis woman decided to burn her niqab to mark the end of IS rule
A woman after being evacuated from Manbij.Image copyrightREUTERS
Image captionMany Manbij residents shed tears of joy after being liberated

Reuters news agency spoke to a resident of Manbij who described a spot where people were beheaded. “For anything or using the excuse that he did not believe [in God], they put him and cut his head off.

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Categories: ISIS, Middle East, Syria, The Muslim Times

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