Turkish president points at Syria's Manbij as first target, eyes Raqqa afterwards

Manbij is Turkey's first priority as part of its Euphrates Shield Operation, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, adding that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's (ISIL) capital, Raqqa, would be the second target if Turkey and the United States can agree. 

"We, in Syria, together with our brothers there, have given and continue to give the struggle of our liberty and future. Now we are in al-Bab and al-Bab is surrounded from near and far. God willing [inshallah] our job there is over, or about to be over. The real owners will come and settle there," Erdoğan said Dec. 24 in Istanbul during an opening ceremony.

Turkish troops along with Ankara-backed Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels have been fighting for al-Bab against ISIL for over one month and clashes intensified last week, during which time at least 16 Turkish soldiers died. 

"Next is Manbij," the president said. 

The Syrian Democratic Forces, comprised mainly of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Party Union (PYD) and its military wing, the People's Protection Unit (YPG), along with Syrian Arabs, liberated Manbij from ISIL in early August. 

Turkey launched the Euphrates Shield operation on Aug. 24, in order to free its border of terrorist organizations, which not only include ISIL but also the PYD and YPG. Turkey considers both of the PYD and YPG as terror organizations, due to their ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).

The U.S., on the other hand, regards the PYD and YPG as "reliable" partners in the fight against ISIL in Syria, even though it also designates the PKK as a terrorist organization. 

"After Manbij, comes Raqqa if we can collaborate with the United States in the new era," said Erdoğan, referring to U.S....