 By 15 August, thousands of previously displaced citizens of Manbij were reported returning.On 19 August 2016, the Manbij Military Council issued a written statement announcing it had taken over the security of Manbij city center and villages from the SDF, of which it is a component.Today Manbij is self-administered by the Manbij City Council, co-chaired by Sheikh Farouk al-Mashi and Salih Haji Mohammed, as part of Shahba region within the "de facto" autonomous Federation of Northern Syria – Rojava framework.