Blast in Syria's Manbij kills at least 16, including four US soldiers

Local sources and witnesses say a restaurant in northern Syria's Manbij town centre was hit by an explosion during a patrol of the US-led coalition, in an attack claimed by Daesh.

At least 16 people including four US soliders were killed in an attack on Wednesday in the Syrian city of Manbij, US officials and a war monitor in the region said. 
"There are nine civilians dead, five from the SDF accompanying forces," the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said, referring to the YPG-led SDF which the US backs in Syria.
The blast killed four US soldiers and wounded three others, a US official said.

The blast occurred as US military personnel were conducting a patrol of the city.
The wounded soldiers are reportedly receiving treatment for the injuries, the seriousness of which remains unclear.
The US military command acknowledged the attack on Twitter.

CJTF-OIR is aware of open source reports regarding an explosion in Syria. Coalition forces conducted a routine patrol in Syria today. We are still gathering information and will share additional details at a later time.— OIR Spokesperson (@OIRSpox) January 16, 2019

Daesh claimed responsibility for the attack on its propaganda site. 
Amaq said an attacker had struck a foreign military patrol in a suicide attack.
TRT World's Yasin Eken has more from Turkey-Syria border. 

The assault comes as the US has begun the process of withdrawing from Syria.
The YPG is the Syrian wing of the PKK, a terrorist organisation proscribed by the US, Turkey and the EU.
TRT World spoke with political analyst Yusuf Erim on the significance and the fallouts from the Manbij attack. 
Source: trtworld.com