US-backed forces have fully taken control of the northern Syrian city of Manbij and have retaken it from ISIL fighters.

Manbij served as ISIL's hub for recruiting and processing foreign fighters. They also used the city as a location to send fighters across the border to Turkey for external operations.

The city also lies on the oil trade route connecting ISIL stronghold Raqqa to the Turkish border. During the latest offensive, the Syrian Democratic Forces had freed over 2,000 civilian hostages who had been held by the militants.