August 14, 2016

Thousands Of Hostages Freed In Manbij

It’s a rare treat when we can report good news as tremendous as this, so let’s revel in it together: more than 2,000 hostages were freed from ISIS this weekend, thanks to allied Arab and Kurdish forces who took back the former ISIS stronghold of Manbij in northern Syria. That’s 2,000 people who will hopefully never serve as slaves or human shields again. A spokesman for the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces said they had taken over the city after the last ISIS militants fled on Friday, just in time for a party! Since then, social media has been flooded with uplifting images of the 2,000 people celebrating, embracing, even crying tears of joy as they reunite with loved ones. 

What’s next for everyone involved?

Kurdish forces don’t seem to be slowing down. In Iraq, they captured several villages near Mosul from ISIS. That’s an important target, since Mosul is the last major city the militants hold in the country. As for the civilians who were rescued, it’s not exactly a “happily ever after” moment. Russian and Syrian jets continue to attack rebel positions in and around Aleppo, making it difficult for aid to reach Manbij. Despite Russia’s promise of a three-hour daily break from airstrikes so that aid can flow into the region, there has been no letup in the violence. 

In Pictures: Syrian civilians celebrating their escape from ISIS

Yes, I want to sound marginally more intelligent: