US-backed Syrian forces have pledged to eliminate Daesh's presence in Minbij, in the north of the country, while calling for cooperation from local civilians living under the extremists' rule, as the offensive went into a second day Thursday.
"All civilians are asked to cooperate to oust Islamic State from Minbij and we call on all civilians living in areas near Daesh bases or offices to stay away," a Kurdish official told dpa.
The US-backed Democratic Forces of Syria (DFS) - comprised largely of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG), but also including Arab and Turkmen groups - launched this week the offensive against the key Minbij pocket, the extremists' last territory on the Turkish border.
The mission aims to kick the extremists off the Turkish border - just 20 kilometres from Manbij city - and supply routes, while also isolating Daesh's de facto capital al-Raqqa. A separate offensive against that city was launched last week.
"It is time to end the occupation by Daesh of our city," the Manbij Military Council said in a video statement from northern Syria, vowing to defeat the extremists.
Syrian rebels lost Manbij to Daesh in early 2014 after seizing it from President Bashar al-Assad's forces in 2012.
The council, which flies the Syrian opposition flag, was set up by the DSF and is aiming to transfer power to a civilian leadership once the military stage is completed, they said.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian situation in many parts of central and southern Syria remains dire, especially in several rebel-held pockets under siege.
The United States, Britain and France all called Wednesday for the United Nations to begin planning air drops to besieged areas. The international community last month pledged that if ground deliveries were not possible, air lifts would begin in June.
The office of the UN's Syria envoy is due to speak on the matter in Geneva later Thursday.
