So far the US media is continuing to be mostly vague on the location of these deaths- The UK media is reporting an American soldier among two killed in roadside bomb attack in Syria which also wounded five. The explosion occurred at Manbij. Pivotal area.Link
- The U.S. military announcement came after a Syrian official said a roadside bomb had exploded in the Arab-Kurdish town of Manbij near the Turkish border
- A U.S. defense official has said one of the two troops was an American.
- The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because details had not yet been publicly released, did not give the nationality of the second military member.
- The U.S. military did not say where the incident occurred but it came hours after a local Syrian official said that an improvised bomb exploded in the tense, mixed Arab-Kurdish town of Manbij that is not far from the border with Turkey.
Fighters from the U.S-backed Syrian Manbij Military Council rest on their kiosk at a front line position against the Turkish-backed fighters at Halawanji village, north of Manbij town, SyriaDefense Post
The Pentagon said one of two Coalition personnel killed was American, AFP reported.The Los Angeles Times’ Special Correspondent in the Middle East Nabih Bulos tweeted that one activist said the bomb was carried in an “SDF pickup” truck.
Carried in an SDF pick up truck- How interesting. Of course, that specific tweet cannot be found by yours truly. Wonder why that might be? Was it scrubbed like the images of the "presence patrol" were? Coalition Forces Outpost front lines Manbij
Linking back, again, to yesterday’s post Syria's North: Is the US Readying A Provocation Or Deterrent for Turkish Forces?
Where I'd stated, based on reports & documentation of “presence patrols” taking place and then being scrubbed, the possibility that the US was up to no good seemed quite apparent.
Yesterday's conclusion: "It seems to me the US has something planned outside of Manbij. The fact that they've scrubbed images, and appear intent on sending mixed messages to the outside world and Turkey, simultaneously, indicates they are attempting to create a state of confusion which they can take advantage of"
Earlier today: 2 Coalition Forces Killed by IED In Syria. In The Process of Deploying Them?
This morning a question was asked to readers if it was coalition forces deploying IED’sI was completely unaware that the explosion/coalition deaths had taken place near Manbij when I published yesterday's post. My impression was that the US had something to hide or obfuscate.- Did the US military scrub the images of the “presence patrols” because of this explosion? -Would the images have shown us all that coalition forces were the only forces present in that area? - If so would that have implicated coalition troops/partners in the deaths of their own?To my knowledge there is no one else present between the heavily guarded coalition/ SDF fortress. And the Turkish Forces that are watched and watching all the time
“Mohammed Abu Adel, head of the Manbij Military Council, an Arab-Kurdish group in the town backed by the U.S., said the bomb went off hundreds of yards from a security headquarters that houses the council just before midnight on Thursday”
100's of yards from the Security headquarters in Manbij, the explosive in back of an SDF pick up truck- Potentially as little as just a few hundred feet away. In an area that is undoubtedly surveiled 24/7. And if anyone other then coalition forces was present they would have been shot dead. I’m sure there are snipers on duty. Always.
SDF fighter peers through binoculars at Turkish Forces
"The front line has grown more tense in recent days as Turkey threatens to advance on the town to clear it of the U.S-backed fighters"As stated in today’s earlier post:
"Interesting that this occurred yesterday 21:00 GMT, but, the US is not blaming ISIS. Nor a re they claiming these personnel were engaged in battle. (which they shoul d be know)Rather they are withholding details until further investigation.In fact they aren't even going to let it be known where this incident occurred. Odd"
Conclusion based on information available is that the presence patrol (scrubbed info) was up to no good, perhaps they were intending to provoke an attack? Perpetuate a false flag? Set a trap for Turkish Forces- Unsure of their plan. But their own IED took them out. I was suspicious yesterday that something was occurring at or in Manbij- these deaths only serve to confirm my suspicions What do you think?UPDATE #1: A British Soldier is confirmed as the second death Telegraph:
"A British soldier with the anti-Isil coalition has been killed by an improvised explosive device in Syria. The attack in Manbij, a city where US personnel are stationed, happened late Thursday.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack"
Most likely because there was no attackSky News
"A MOD spokesperson said: "It is with regret that we must confirm that a member of the UK Armed Forces was killed by an improvised explosive device in Syria yesterday".
"We cannot confirm any further details at this stage."
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