Several hundred vehicles containing 100 to 200 ISIL Takfiri militants were given safe passage by US-based forces, out of the northern Syrian city of Manbij

Several hundred vehicles containing 100 to 200 ISIL Takfiri militants were given safe passage by US-based forces, out of the northern Syrian city of Manbij, after surrendering their weapons, according to defense officials.

US Army Col. Carver, a spokesman for the US-led coalition fighters, told Pentagon reporters the decision to let ISIL convoys leave the city was made by commanders of the so-called Syrian Democratic Force, Russia Today reported.

Col. Carver described how ISIL had civilians in each of the vehicles, and the military wanted to avoid casualties. He didn’t know how many of the civilians had been in the cars voluntarily but said some were likely hostages.

The 100 to 200 ISIL militants left the city of Manbij last Friday under watch of coalition drones to ensure the militants didn’t regroup and try to return to the city.

It was the first such agreement with the terrorists who were using civilians as human shields to escape.

"They kept throwing civilians to basically walk into the line of fire, trying to get them shot to use that potentially as propaganda, we think," said Col. Chris Garver.

Associated Press reported US military officials said some of the ISIL militants had already made their way into Turkey, and many were still in Syria.