 On 1 November 2018 Turkish and US troops began joint patrols around Manbij along the front lines of the Euphrates Shield rebel territory and the Manbij Military Council.The joint patrols were seen as part of a "roadmap" for easing tensions between militants in the region and tensions between the two NATO allies.On 28 December 2018, the Syrian government's media said the Syrian Army had entered Manbij, a claim that was disputed by other sources, which reported that Syrian troops had deployed in the area around the city.