A source close to the SNA told The New Arab’s Arabic-language sister site that the Turkish-backed group opened the crossing to avoid accusations that it was
![A member of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by US special forces, holds up his group's flag at the iconic Al-Naim square in Raqqa on 17 October 2017. [Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2021-06/GettyImages-862329032.jpg?h=cea64f22&itok=yAwadMe1)
![Manbij has been controlled by the Kurdish-led SDF since 2016 [Getty]](/sites/default/files/styles/image_156x88/public/2021-06/GettyImages-1176008900.jpg?h=b609465e&itok=rTKoTxV-)
