ISTANBUL: Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Syrian Kurdish militia fighters were leaving northern Syria’s Manbij area. Turkey’s armed forces announced earlier that Turkish and US soldiers had started independent patrols along the line separating Turkish-controlled areas from the town of Manbij where Ankara says Kurdish YPG militia fighters are based. Turkey considers the YPG a terrorist group. Erdogan made the comments in a campaign rally in the northern province of Ordu.