Turkish soldiers patrolling Manbij are giving locals hope that they can go back home, according to a prominent longtime resident of the northeastern Syrian city.

Ibrahim Alhaji, who served a decade as an undersecretary at Syria's Justice Ministry after 12 years as a judge and prosecutor in Manbij, took refuge in Turkey after Daesh occupied Manbij.

"Turkish troops patrolling Manbij will make positive contributions to people in the region," Alhaji told Anadolu Agency (AA) on Tuesday.

For the last five years Alhaji and his six children have taken refuge in Reyhanli in Turkey's southern province of Hatay.

"Security is the leading problem in Manbij. The People's Protection Units [YPG] terrorist organization in Manbij is the same as the Syrian regime soldiers.

Only their clothes are different," Alhaji said.

"Most of the population in Manbij are Arabs. There's no difference between us and Turkey.

Our culture and religion are common. We live our lives in peace and security in Turkey.

"If security is provided in Manbij, people who fled their land due to the oppression of the YPG terrorist organization and the Daesh terrorist group will return to their homes," he said.

Arabs account for more than 90 percent of the local population in Manbij.

Since the launch of the Afrin operation, Turkey has raised concerns with regards to the presence of YPG terrorists in Manbij, which was taken by the YPG in 2016, and said they must leave the region.