The US says it's facing a threat in northwestern Syria as Turkish forces continue their operation, against Kurdish positions in Afrin. Ankara announced that the next target would be Manbij. President Erdogan has vowed to drive what he called "terror filth" from the country "up to the Iraqi border".

While the US does not have forces in Afrin, it DOES have troops in Manbij to the east. The potential threat raises the possibility of a conflict between forces allied with Turkey and the United States. The United States and Turkey have diverging interests in the Syrian conflict, with Washington focused on defeating Islamic State, and Ankara keen to prevent Syria's Kurds from gaining autonomy, and fueling Kurdish insurgents.