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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Israel will need to get used to Turkey’s growing footprint in Syria

2025-04-13

[IsraelTimes] Post-Assad Syria needs a strong country to help it out of the chaos, and Turkey wants in; with America backing Erdogan, there’s little Israel can do beyond insisting on red lines

~~The Sick Man of Europe~~ Turkey
...the decaying remnant of the Ottoman Empire...
’s growing involvement in Syria recently reached a flashpoint with Israel, following Israeli ~~Arclight~~ airstrike
...KABOOM!...
s in early April that targeted three Syrian airbases Turkey was reportedly looking to make use of. The incident prompted rare official statements from Ankara regarding its operations in Syria: Ottoman Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan told Rooters after the strikes that "Turkey has no interest in fighting any country on Syrian soil."

A week after the conciliatory statement, Fidan revealed in an interview with CNN
...formerly the Cable News Network, now who know what it might stand for...
Turk that Turkey and Israel are holding technical-level talks to avoid "military confrontations" in Syria, as the new leadership seeks to establish itself following the fall of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
Terror of Aleppo ...
Despite growing concern in Israel over Turkey’s entrenchment in Syria, Jerusalem appears to be left with few options to counter it.

"Ultimately, when it comes to Syria, Turkey simply cares more about it than Israel does, and invests accordingly. Israel’s interest in Syria is purely security-oriented," Gallia Lindenstrauss, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), told The Times of Israel. "That gives Ankara the upper hand."

She added that US President Donald Trump
...So far he's been unkillable, and they've tried....
’s backing for Ottoman Turkish leader His Enormity, Sultan Recep Tayyip Erdogan the First
...Turkey's version of Mohammed Morsi but they voted him back in so they deserve him. It's a sin, a shame, and a felony to insult the president of Turkey. In Anatolia did Recep Bey a stately Presidential Palace decree, that has 1100 rooms. That's 968 more than in the White House, 400 more than in Versailles, and 325 more than Buckingham Palace, so you know who's really more important...
further limits Israel’s maneuverability.

"President Trump made it clear in the last meeting with [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu in Washington that while he’s willing to help Israel with Turkey, Israel must make ’reasonable demands,'" Lindenstrauss said.

"He’s pushing Israel to adopt a minimalist approach in Syria. To prioritize, Israel will have to insist only on its most critical red lines, like preventing Iranian arms transfers to Hezbollah through southern Syria."

A HISTORY OF SUPPORT FOR REBELS
Ankara’s ties with Syria’s new leadership date back several years.

"Turkey was a friend to Syria and supported it from the start of the revolution — Syria will not forget this," the country’s new leader Ahmad al-Sharaa said on December 22, 2024, during a joint presser with Turkey’s foreign minister at the presidential palace in Damascus.

Before declaring himself president, Sharaa led the jihadist rebel group Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else
...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra
...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli al-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ...
— an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria. Sharaa cut ties with al-Qaeda several years ago and has sought to portray himself as a moderate since taking power, though Israel has expressed serious doubts.

While Turkey officially designates HTS and al-Qaeda as terrorist organizations, following US policy, and has never maintained formal diplomatic or economic ties with them, it has long been thought to offer varying degrees of support to Syrian rebel factions since the early days of the civil war in 2011.

President Erdogan turned on his closest domestic supporters, the Gulenists, because one of them reported seeing his son supervising the smuggling of funds and supplies across the border to ISIS in Syria at his behest, as I recall. It was a great scandal at the time.

"Turkey supported the full spectrum of Syrian rebel groups shortly after the civil war began, once it gave up hope for reform under the Assad regime," said Lindenstrauss.

That was when President Erdogan turned on his former BFF Bashir Assad….

"Anyone who fought against Assad received some level of Ottoman Turkish backing — logistically, medically, and in some cases, militarily.

"While Jabhat al-Nusra wasn’t the main beneficiary, Turkey did have closer ties with other rebel factions," she said. Such support was primarily coordinated by Ottoman Turkish intelligence, led at the time by Fidan — now Turkey’s foreign minister.

"In [Fidan’s] recent December meeting with Sharaa, you could see that these people have known each other for years," Lindenstraus said.

Turkey’s backing became very public following the swift success of the coup that ousted Assad. Turkey was the second country visited by Sharaa in his new role, following a trip to Saudi Arabia

...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula, largely made up of sand and oil rigs. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual haj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. Formerly dictatorial and steeped in Olde Tyme Religion, deferring to Salafist holy men on all issues, it has now done a 180 and is making a serious effort to modernize, so as not to be left in the sand by its Gulf Arab neighbors. The holy men have been shoved to the background and the nation is now still dictatorial but somewhat rational. That doesn't make them trustworthy, but it's a start...
. According to a study by the Washington Post Institute, during the early months of the new government in Syria, Turkey led the pack in diplomatic engagement, holding 93 meetings, including official, business and humanitarian contacts. The second most active country, Saudi Arabia, had only 34.

Turkey’s interest in Syria has been clear since the outbreak of the civil war: to ensure a stable, friendly regime on its eastern border, one that could even potentially support Ankara’s security interests.

"Turkey has vast ambitions regarding Syria," Lindenstrauss said. "It wants to block jihadist and Kurdish terrorism originating from Syrian territory. It even envisions Syria as a strategic outpost. On the economic front, Turkey doesn’t want to bear the cost of Syria’s reconstruction,

…given that Turkey has been flirting with bankruptcy for decades. they can’t afford to …

but it does want Ottoman Turkish companies to rebuild the country and reap the rewards.

"And then there’s the refugee issue: Syria hosted millions of refugees during the war, which has become a burning issue in Ottoman Turkish domestic politics. A stable Syria is key to Ankara’s goal of returning those refugees."

SYRIA SEEKS SUPPORT AMID ECONOMIC RUIN
As Syria emerges from over a decade of devastating civil war, its new leader finds himself ruling a nation that is exhausted, economically and socially. Sharaa rose to power quickly following the fall of Assad, but he now leads a country that is desperate for external support to maintain stability and rebuild.

One of Sharaa’s most consequential moves so far has been a public decision to end Syria’s primary source of income under Assad — the production and export of the drug Captagon — citing religious and moral reasons, as Islam prohibits narcotics.

Did ISIS know that? They lived on the stuff…

According to a 2023 study by the Observatory of Political and Economic Networks, a Canada-based research institute run by Syrian expats, the Captagon trade had in recent years generated up to $10 billion annually for the previous regime.

Now, with that revenue gone, Sharaa is seeking financial backers and strategic allies to keep the economy afloat and maintain military control, especially given Syria’s complex sectarian landscape, and the fact that his ascension to power did not come through democratic means.

Israel, however, remains concerned about the military aspect of Turkey’s deepening involvement.

Just a week after Assad’s ouster, on December 15, Turkey’s defense minister stated that Ankara was ready to provide military assistance to Syria’s new government if requested. During a visit to Turkey on February 4, Sharaa declared, "Syria and Turkey share a long history. Today, we announce that these ties are becoming a strategic partnership across all areas." On the same day, Rooters reported that the partnership would include a defense alliance, Ottoman Turkish-led training for the new Syrian army, and even Ottoman Turkish airbases on Syrian soil.

Despite these developments, there has yet to be visual confirmation of Ottoman Turkish troops inside Syria, unlike the Russian presence under Assad, which was well-documented and which currently endures, at a reduced scale, at Hmeimim Air Base.

Lindenstrauss noted that the full details of the Turkey-Syria agreement have not yet been released. "The fact that there’s talk of a security pact between Syria and Turkey, but no official publication of its terms, indicates sensitivity on both sides," she said.

AN ALLIANCE WITH CHALLENGES
Syria’s growing partnership with Turkey is proving to be a complicated balancing act domestically. A significant point of contention lies in eastern Syria, where Kurdish-led forces known as the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) have controlled approximately 40% of the country’s territory in recent years. On March 10, Sharaa signed a landmark agreement with the SDF’s leadership to integrate their autonomous administration into Syria’s new government structures and military.

The move represents a significant shift but will likely stir friction with Ankara. Turkey fundamentally opposes any form of Kurdish autonomy in Syria due to fears it could embolden its Kurdish population and lead to internal unrest.

"Turkey wants ’good Kurds’ — those willing to cooperate," explained Lindenstrauss. "But the SDF maintains ties with the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey, which has long called for independence for Turkey’s Kurdish minority. That makes the arrangement problematic for Ankara.

"Even now, after the agreement was signed, it remains unclear whether the SDF will disband or continue operating with some level of autonomy. They’re a large, well-armed militia controlling significant territory. It’s not clear why they would give that up voluntarily."

Beyond the Kurdish question, Syria’s tilt toward Turkey has sparked anxiety among other minority communities. Some fear a resurgence of political Islam in the country, which now dominates in Turkey, and possible persecution of non-Sunni groups.

An Alawite citizen in Syria, a member of a sect that split from mainstream Islam and who requested anonymity due to concerns for his safety, told The Times of Israel: "This relationship with Turkey isn’t good. If Syria stays under Ottoman Turkish influence, it will lead to the spread of political Islam.

"I believe Erdogan has a vision to restore the Ottoman Empire and dominate the Middle East," he said.

Indeed.

"A closer relationship with Saudi Arabia, a more moderate Sunni Arab power, would be a better path for Syria."

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

'They Kill Everyone': How Central Asian Militants Carried Out Massacre in Syria

2025-03-12

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Sergey Adamov

[REGNUM] The past few days in Syria have seen an unprecedented surge in violence against local religious minorities: Alawite Muslims and Christians. Social media has been rocked by hundreds of videos in which militants proudly documented their crimes, including mass murders of unarmed people and public torture.

Throughout the conflict, Regnum correspondents were in contact with residents of the Syrian coast, thanks to which they were able to collect dozens of testimonies from civilians about crimes committed by militants.

Eyewitnesses note that militants of foreign origin, natives of Central Asia and the Caucasus, who are noticeably different from Arabs in appearance and stand out against their background, showed particular cruelty in reprisals against the civilian population.

A longstanding problem in the region.

A Red Crescent volunteer, who witnessed mass executions, spoke about the atrocities of foreigners. "The murders are happening for no reason, it is not the military or soldiers who are doing this. These are foreigners - Afghans, Uzbeks, Uighurs," said the author of the video, published on social networks.

Now the new Syrian authorities are arresting civilians for communicating with the media (primarily with the Russian media), so all reports from sources are published anonymously. However, oral testimonies can only serve as confirmation of the crimes in which natives of the Caucasus and Central Asia took part, who do not hide their goals: to create a monolithic society in Syria, united by a radical ideology, in order to carry this ideology further.

GUESTS FROM THE EAST
Militants of foreign origin first appeared in Syria during the first stage of the civil war in 2011–2012. The leadership of the Al-Qaeda* movement called on Central Asians to participate in military operations in the Middle East.

Terrorists from Uzbekistan (Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, IMU), Tajikistan and the Caucasus (Anjad-Kavkaz*)

…or Ajnad al-Kavkaz, Chechen group that split off from Caucasus Emirate…

were able to penetrate through Turkey into the northern regions of Syria, where they came into direct contact with the local branch of Al-Qaeda*, the Jabhat al-Nusra* group (later Hayat Tahrir al-Sham*).

Later, militants from among ethnic Uyghurs, representatives of the so-called “East Turkestan Islamic Movement” (ETIM)*, appeared on the territory of Syria.

The formed "terrorist international" took part in battles against government troops and by 2015 was able to establish control over the province of Idlib. A number of groups received their "allotments", for example, the Uyghurs settled in the area of the city of Jisr al-Shughur, and the Caucasians - the outskirts of Idlib.

The region has become a “promised land” for terrorists from all over the world, who have found in Idlib a safe haven and a springboard for planning attacks around the world. In the fall of 2024, it was these formations, as the most motivated, that took part in the offensive on Aleppo, which ended with the fall of the city, and subsequently the collapse of the government of Bashar al-Assad.

IN A NEW ROLE
The "revolutionary" government of Syria has praised the role of foreign formations, granting all foreign fighters Syrian citizenship and effectively legalizing their status.

Now the former “exiles” have become full-fledged citizens, and, what’s more, 100% loyal to the new regime.

The exact number of foreign fighters is unknown. According to Tajik authorities in 2024, there were about 400 Tajik citizens in the Syrian province of Idlib. The total number of "insurgents" in the ranks of the new Syrian army, according to various estimates, ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 people.

Former mercenaries received high positions in the new government.

For example, a native of Tajikistan, Saifiddin Tadjiboev, who was wanted in his home country on charges of terrorism and mercenarism, was appointed commander of the operational headquarters in the new government’s Ministry of Defense.

ON THE EVE OF THE MASSACRE
Since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad's government, members of ethnic and religious minorities in Syria have lived in constant fear.

The new authorities in Damascus have officially declared that they will not persecute representatives of any community. Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa (aka Mohammed Julani) has demonstratively met with heads of Christian churches, promising protection and patronage.

However, already in the first days of the "new Syria" a wave of attacks on churches and representatives of religious minorities swept across the country. Even then, militants of foreign origin distinguished themselves separately, simply ignoring Damascus' calls for religious tolerance and disarmament.

In the following months, it was these same formations that spread across the entire Syrian coast, viewing the region and its inhabitants as fair game.

After the first open clashes broke out, a total mobilization of radicals and their supporters, a kind of "activists", was declared in the neighboring provinces of Hama and Idlib, who were joined by local residents who wanted to rob their Alawite neighbors. However, the backbone of the "cleansing" forces was made up of armed foreigners.

Footage taken by a militant of Chechen origin, commenting on the events in Syria in Russian, is being published online. "There will be no mercy," the author of the videos says, showing footage of terrorist columns being transferred to Latakia. "We continue to clean up," reads the caption to the video of armored vehicles being deployed on the streets of coastal cities.

Over the following days, Regnum correspondents maintained round-the-clock contact with residents of the Syrian coast, receiving information about what was happening first-hand.

This is how residents of the city of Baniyas describe the first night of the pogroms: “Towards evening, the power went out in our neighborhood. Then groups of pogromists began to enter from different sides, they broke into cars, robbed stores, threw stones at windows. They were followed by armed people who went from house to house. They came to our neighbors’ house with a can of paint, they “marked” people, painted their faces black, insulted them, and then left threats and insults on the walls.”

Among the attackers, local residents particularly noted militants with a characteristic Turkic appearance, often not speaking Arabic. According to eyewitnesses, it was they who showed particular cruelty. An audio recording with instructions calling on local residents "loyal" to the government was distributed, calling on them not to go out into the streets. The voice on the recording says that "Uzbek and Chechen mujahideen" do not differentiate between Sunnis and Shiites and kill everyone.

BLOODY MARCH 8TH
By the morning of the second day of the conflict, the regime had managed to concentrate enough forces on the coast to conduct all-out raids. The Islamists were particularly brutal in the Alawite areas outside the Syrian coast, in the provinces of Hama and Homs.

Tellingly, foreign fighters did not hide their participation in the massacre. In the area of the city of Jabla, a group of Uzbek natives was “spotted”, broadcasting live from the scene and streaming in the Uzbek language. The fighters, belonging to the group “Tawhid wal Jihad”*, told their audience that they had come to Latakia “to punish the infidels” and shared their “political program”.

In particular, they propose that the new Syrian authorities "cleanse" the region and populate it with "faithful Muslims." Syrian Christians are offered either to convert to Islam or to pay "jizya" for life - a tax on non-Muslims in Koranic law.

How traditional.

In fact, we are talking about a doctrine of genocide, which provides for the extermination of the indigenous population, followed by its replacement by “faithful” ones.

Convert, pay jizya, or die. Sometimes only the third is on offer.

In order to more actively populate the coast with "faithful" militants from Central Asia took part in the massacre of Alawites in the village of al-Tuwaim in Hama province. In the "final" round, the radicals beat to death about 15 children aged between one and ten years. Some of the residents of Hama were able to hide in the mountains, but now these people are afraid to return to their homes.

"When we heard about the beginning of the conflict, my relatives were able to leave. There were old people left in the village who asked to leave them. We know that they have been killed now. Somewhere in the houses there are bodies that no one has removed because people are afraid to return for a long time. All the men were killed, some women have disappeared, and no one knows where they are," the source told IA Regnum.

DENOUEMENT
By the morning of March 9, the militants had reached the epicenter of the conflict, the city of Jabla, after which another wave of violence swept through the surrounding villages. In one of the videos made in the vicinity of Jabla, the militants filmed a residential building they had set on fire. "Look, the house of the Alawites is burning!" one of the authors of the video says.

Throughout the day, terrorist gangs continued to repeatedly "cleanse" populated areas, often shooting at everyone they encountered without distinction. At the same time, the heads of Syria's Christian churches issued a joint statement calling for an immediate end to the violence. The "world community" also joined the call, albeit belatedly.

Local residents report that a “clean-up” has begun in the cities of Baniyas, Tartus and Latakia: militants are removing corpses from city streets and even washing blood off the asphalt in preparation for the arrival of foreign journalists.

In a separate statement, Ahmed al-Sharaa said the government would set up a "commission" to investigate "incidents of violence" on the coast, but locals were under no illusions.

"We are still afraid to leave our homes now, no one can assess the damage done. Those who survived were left without all their property, others without their families. We will never forget these two terrible days. Now there is a "roll call" in the chats, we are looking for our own. But we know that there will be no justice for the criminals," the Syrians believe.

Events in Syria have vividly confirmed the worst fears about the prospects for a peaceful settlement in that country. But whatever their consequences, it is absolutely clear that terrorist groups operating in Syria pose a threat far beyond its borders, and that their militants may fall victim to far more than just Syrian ethno-confessional minorities.

People from post-Soviet countries who “distinguished themselves” by committing mass murders probably dream of returning to their native lands and repeating the same thing in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and, of course, in Russia.

Of course.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

'David's Corridor': What Role Do the Druze Play in Israel's Plans to Dismember Syria

2025-03-04

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Kirill Semenov

[REGNUM] The Israeli leadership would like to use the Syrian Druze as its “fifth column” in Syria, but so far the bet on this ethno-confessional minority has not paid off.

Despite the provocative statements of the Israeli leadership, the Syrian Druze continue to claim that their "qibla" (i.e. point of attraction) is Damascus, and they intend to remain Syrians, although tensions in relations with the transitional government continue to mount.

On Saturday, following an incident in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, in which two militants from local Druze groups killed an employee of the Syrian government's Public Security Service (PSS - police), the town was blocked by government forces.

Israel decided to intervene in the situation, presenting itself as a "defender of the Druze." The Minister of Defense of the Jewish state, Israel Katz, then said that he had instructed the military to prepare for a march on Jaramana and to support the Druze if Syrian troops began to clear the suburbs.

"We will not allow the radical Islamic regime in Syria to harm the Druze. If the regime harms the Druze, we will strike at it," Katz said.

The head of the military department also assured that he “commits to our Druze brothers in Israel” to do everything possible to prevent harm from being caused to “their Druze brothers in Syria,” and intends to take all necessary steps to ensure their safety.

"DAVID'S CORRIDOR"
Israel is trying to take advantage of the unstable situation in Syria to finally destroy the country, which in the future could pose a threat to the Jewish state.

The events of October 7, 2023 have changed Israel greatly, primarily in its assessment of its own security and measures to ensure it. And now, perhaps, maintaining chaos in neighboring countries instead of stability seems to be the best option for Tel Aviv to mitigate any future challenges.

The Israeli leadership was not interested in the fall of the Assad regime, believing that this would lead to dangerous turbulence at the borders. Now it is doing everything to ensure that the new Syrian authorities are unable to stabilize the situation, and even wants Syria as a state to cease to exist in principle, disintegrating into several entities hostile to each other.

Of course, in such a scenario, individual “splashes” of these conflicts may also affect Israel, but these will definitely not be waves like the “Al-Aqsa flood,” and it will be much easier to counteract them.

Israel speaks about these plans openly and without embarrassment.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has publicly voiced the Netanyahu government's preference for a fragmented Syria. In a speech at the EU-Israel summit, Saar called for the country to be divided into separate autonomous states along perceived ethnic and religious lines. This, he said, is important to protect the country's minorities, who are under threat from the new government.

The plan to dismember Syria has already received the unofficial name “David’s Corridor” in Israel.

It proposes, at the first stage, the creation of a security zone in southern Syria in the provinces of Daraa and Quneitra bordering Israel. The Druze in the neighboring province of Suwayda, where they constitute the majority, would be able to rely on this zone. This would create a continuous strip of Israeli control in southern Syria, and the Druze would become a local support for Israel, just as the Lebanese Christians - the Maronites - once did in the puppet state of southern Lebanon before 2000.

The reality of the launch of the first stage of the scenario is indicated by the ultimatum demands voiced by the Netanyahu government regarding the withdrawal of all armed forces of the new Syrian government from the southern regions of Syria.

In the second stage, the "David Corridor" is planned to be extended through the desert areas along the border with Iraq, relying on the American base at At-Tanf. This security belt should be provided by Arab tribes that were part of the pro-American "Free Syrian Army" based at At-Tanf, and be extended to the territories controlled by the Kurdish formations of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" in northeastern Syria.

Thus, Israel will be cut off from Iraq with its numerous Shiite pro-Iranian groups by a continuous strip of forces allied to it and the US, and the “Islamist” government in Damascus will be isolated.

For this purpose, the Alawites in the provinces of Tartus and Latakia, according to this plan, must also separate from Syria, forming their own quasi-state.

In connection with this, there have already been rumors in the Western press that Israel would like Russian bases to remain in Syria, and is negotiating this not only with Russia itself, but also with the United States.

Obviously, this is a hint that the Russian side should become the curator of the “Alawite state,” while the United States will continue to look after the Kurdish state, and Israel will look after the Druze state, connected by the “David Corridor.”

But the aim of these information provocations is also to present Russia as an accomplice in the division of Syria and to spoil the background of Moscow’s relations with Damascus, as well as with other Arab states, as well as Turkey.

However, the large number of publications in support of the separation of the Alawites from the Syrian state in the Russian-language segment of various social networks adds credibility to this rumor.

DRUZE BETWEEN THE HAMMER OF TEL AVIV AND THE ANVIL OF DAMASCUS
Israel's far-reaching plans have met a serious obstacle in the form of the Syrian Druze themselves.

The Druze of the southern provinces and the forces of Jaramana quickly rejected any external assistance, reaffirming the unity and indivisibility of Syria. Later, demonstrations under Syrian flags were held in Druze areas against the statements of Netanyahu and Katz.

As Alain Saab, a Russian researcher of the Druze community with Druze roots, told Regnum news agency, it is noteworthy that it was the Druze groups and influential political figures from the As-Suwayda region that acted as mediators in resolving the conflict between the population of Jaramana and the Public Security Service (PSS) of the transitional government.

In particular, a significant role was played by Laith al-Balous, an influential Druze political figure and leader of the Forces of the Sheikhs of Dignity (Rijal al-Karama) group, who became a de facto mediator between Damascus and Jaramane.

Thus, according to the expert, constant contacts between the Druze leaders and the GSS helped to avoid unnecessary bloodshed and escalation: now there is silence in the Jaramana area, the GSS units have fully entered the center of the area and set up checkpoints, and local forces and Damascus are taking further steps to resolve the conflict.

In turn, the leader of the Druze in Lebanon, Walid Jumblatt, who also has great influence among the Druze communities in Syria and Israel, said on Sunday that he would soon visit Syria to meet with its interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, and help ease tensions in the Druze community in that country and help resolve all disputes between it and Damascus.

"Free Syrians must be careful of Israeli plots," he told a news conference on Sunday, accusing Israel and Prime Minister Netanyahu of creating sectarian division and chaos in Syria.

On the other hand, as Alain Saab noted, the Druze-populated province of As-Suwayda is indeed playing its own game, enjoying the political support of the Israeli Druze when necessary. The nature of this “game” is to systematically pressure Damascus to obtain some autonomous privileges in the overall Syrian context.

However, the connection between the Syrian Druze and the Israelis should not be equated with the connection between the Syrian Druze and Israel itself.

Many Syrian Druze do have relatives in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Tel Aviv has announced its annexation of. However, it is important to note that the Druze of that part of the Golan Heights retain a Syrian national identity. To this day, the Druze from the Golan do not serve in the Israeli army and most do not have Israeli citizenship.

At the same time, one cannot underestimate the activities of the Israeli intelligence services, primarily the Mossad, which uses some Israeli Druze to create pro-Israeli networks among the Druze community in Syria.

Obviously, the so-called “Military Council” of Suwayda, created back in December, can be considered an Israel-oriented structure, but it made its presence known most loudly after the announcement of Israel’s plans to divide Syria.

However, the influence of this group among the Syrian Druze is insignificant, although its ranks include highly qualified military personnel who were trained at the American base at Al-Tanf back in 2023.

The "Mountain Brigade" and "Karam Sheikh Forces" significantly outnumber this faction. Despite its active PR (not without the help of Israeli information resources), at the moment this structure, according to official statements, is supported by four villages and a number of virtually unknown groups.

The Military Council also has no support from large armed groups or religious leaders.

THE KEY TO THE PROBLEM IS IN DAMASCUS
However, which side the Druze end up on will largely depend on the new Syrian authorities themselves.

On the one hand, Sunni Arabs and Druze do not have the same antagonism as Sunnis and Alawites, and one can speak of much greater mutual understanding.

Most Druze did not support the regime of Bashar al-Assad and did not participate on his side in the civil war. Quite the contrary, in the last stage of the conflict, Druze armed groups openly opposed Assad, advancing towards Damascus, disarming parts of the collapsed government.

On the other hand, the Druze certainly remain distrustful of the “Islamist” government in Damascus.

The Druze already had negative experiences with the Jabhat al-Nusra* group even before it became Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)*.

Thus, under pressure from jihadists, the Druze communities in Idlib were forced to accept Islam (although, by the way, a statement from their leaders was enough for this and no evidence was required from each Druze). And several Druze units fighting in the ranks of the opposition in southern Syria were surrounded and captured by radicals after they were declared “apostates,” and only the intervention of other rebel factions allowed them to save their lives and be free again, but after that the Druze no longer joined the ranks of the armed opposition.

Now many problems between the new authorities and the Druze have been resolved.

In particular, in January, the Public Security Forces (PSF) of the transitional government were deployed in the province of Suwayda, although the Druze had previously prevented their entry into the region.

The Military Operations Department forces are also present in Suwayda, including separating warring Druze factions from local Bedouin tribes. But it is the Druze factions that are still the key guarantor of security in the province, although Damascus is not opposed to some factions helping the security services, as this can speed up their integration and create a barrier to threats from Israel.

But mistrust not only remains, but is generally growing.

Thus, according to expert Alain Saab, the Druze initially treated HTS* with some apprehension, but also with hope.

“Now, in my opinion, everyone is increasingly afraid of HTS,” the expert noted, “

but Julani (al-Sharaa) is perceived as being separate (from the group he led. — Ed.) and more positive.”

In general, as Saaba notes, there is still cautious support for the new Syrian authorities among the Druze, but after the creation of the “Military Council” and the conflict in Jaramana, calls for a forceful solution to the Druze issue can be heard from the most radical elements of HTS*, “and this is seriously damaging support for Damascus among the Druze.”

According to the expert, if the new government can somehow stop all this disinformation and fakes, then a warming will occur.

If not, then on one side Israel, and on the other the radicals themselves will “construct a conflict.”

But in any case, Israel will continue to put pressure on Syria, using the information space to incite hatred towards the Druze on the part of Sunni Arabs and, conversely, with the aim of expanding the ethno-confessional conflict and further dividing Syria.

Update from Rudaw, with a local perspective, at 11:30 a.m. ET:

Syrian forces enter Damascus suburb, situation stable: Source

Members of Syria's new authorities security forces deploy in the mostly Druze and Syrian forces have entered a majority Druze and Christian suburb on the outskirts of Damascus and stabilized the situation, a local source said on Monday, after deadly clashes with Druze gunmen.

“The situation in Jarmana is stable. Yesterday, the General Security Forces and police entered the city with the cooperation of the city’s people, and there is good cooperation between the people and the police,” Rabie Munther, a member of the Jarmana Civil Action Group, told Rudaw’s Nalin Hassan.

He said that Syrian forces entered the town on Sunday night following 48 hours of tensions and following mediation between dignitaries and Syrian government authorities.

Security is now being maintained jointly by the police and the area’s residents, according to Munther.

“We have not stopped basic services and institutions for even a second since the fall of the regime until now,” he stressed.

Jaramana, a mostly Druze and Christian suburb of the capital Damascus, has witnessed tensions for days following a fatal shooting at a checkpoint. Clashes ensued between security forces and local gunmen, resulting in another death and nine others injured.

Munther explained that what happened was a “personal matter,” where unknown gunmen attacked a car.

Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) led the rebel coalition that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s regime in early December. Its then leader and now Syria’s interim President, Ahmad al-Sharaa, has repeatedly pledged to protect the rights of all Syrians. In December, the rebel coalition, including the HTS, agreed to merge into the Syrian defense ministry.

The international community has expressed concern that the new Islamist authorities in Damascus may impose strict Islamic rule in Syria, threatening the country’s minority groups such as Kurds, Druze, Christians, and Alawites.

On Saturday, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned the Damascus administration to “not harm the Druze,” stressing that Syrian authorities would “suffer the consequences” if they harmed the community.

In Syria’s southern Druze-majority Suwayda province, both armed and political factions have refused to disband their forces.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Disintegration or Integration: How Syria's New Authorities Are Trying to Save the Country

2025-01-11

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Kirill Semenov

[REGNUM] Just over a month ago, on December 8, 2024, the Assad family's 54-year rule in Syria suddenly ended. After a rapid 11-day military campaign, the armed opposition led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Ahmed al-Sharaa ( Abu Muhammad al-Jolani ) came to power. From that moment on, the very future of Syria as a state was called into question.

Over the past month, Syria's new transitional government has made some efforts to reassure the public by emphasizing its commitment to preserving state institutions and avoiding the chaos that was seen during the transitions in Iraq and Libya. And it must be acknowledged that it has succeeded to some extent, although the time that has passed since it took power is still very short: it is too early to make more optimistic forecasts for the future.

Perhaps the main success of the new government is its international recognition.

Despite the presence of both HTS and al-Sharaa himself on terrorist lists, most leading world and regional capitals have rushed to establish ties with him. For example, many countries whose official representatives al-Jolani has already met have not considered it necessary to normalize relations with Taliban Afghanistan, although more than three years have passed since the Taliban came to power.

It is clear that international contacts were facilitated by HTS's refusal to necessarily proceed with the assertion of the primacy of Sharia, as well as the new authorities' declared readiness to maintain the existing secular system of government throughout the transition period. Within the country, major roads were opened, many previous restrictions were lifted, and basic public services were restored to return to normal life.

However, the main problem facing the current Syrian government is ensuring the security and unity of the country. And here there are many cracks that threaten to become splits in the future. Although the government is making efforts to prevent negative scenarios.

Unlike the situation in Afghanistan in 2021, when the Taliban came to power and faced a significant surge in ISIS terrorist activity, the new Syrian government was able to prevent terrorists from emerging from the desert to carry out attacks in Syrian cities. Therefore, New Year's celebrations throughout Syria and Christmas in Christian areas took place without casualties. Although it is Christians and representatives of non-Sunni Islamic faiths who are the first to fall victim to ISIS terrorist attacks.

The fact that large-scale public celebrations are held on these non-Islamic holidays also shows that the authorities in Damascus, despite the continuing concerns of Syrian religious minorities, have not introduced Sharia law in the country and banned holidays and events that are not related to Islam. Even alcohol continues to be freely available. The same applies to the dress code: women can still go around without covering their heads.

By the way, representatives of the fair sex have taken several positions in the leadership of the new Syria. In particular, Meysa Sabreen became the chairperson of the Central Bank of the country and the first woman in this position in the history of Syria, and Mohsen al-Maytawi was appointed governor of Suwayda province, also becoming the first woman in such a position.

CHRISTIANS: BETWEEN HOPE AND FEAR
Syrian Christians, despite many pessimistic expectations, were reportedly able to celebrate Christmas without hindrance. But it was not without incident.

In the run-up to the holiday, several individuals affiliated with HTS burned a Christmas tree in the city of Suqaylabiya in Hama province. This led to mass demonstrations by Christians on Christmas Eve (which is celebrated in Syria according to the Gregorian calendar). However, according to the new Syrian government's security service, the perpetrators were detained and given disciplinary punishment.

To reassure Syrian Christians, Ahmad al-Sharaa met with representatives of all Christian denominations in Syria on December 31. A ban was also imposed on sectarian slogans, including those directed against Syrian Christians.

However, the fear for their future among Christians in Syria has not disappeared. The situation is aggravated by conflicts between individual representatives of Christians and Muslims, which lead to an increase in interreligious tension. And, according to Christians, the new authorities are trying to side with the Muslims when resolving them.

This happened in the city of Maaloula, where a conflict between local Christians and Muslims occurred. Then one of the local Sunnis, accused of attempting to rob a Christian home, was killed. Armed Muslim militias from the surrounding villages began to converge on the city. This led to the flight of a number of Christian families, who began to accuse the new Syrian authorities of supporting local Muslims and doing nothing.

Nevertheless, many Christian communities in Syria, despite their fears and mistrust of the new authorities, are actively involved in building the new country. And the Antiochian Patriarchate has welcomed the return to the country of leading Syrian Ash'ari Muslim theologians, such as Sheikh Osama al-Rifai, a world-renowned Islamic scholar who can counter sectarian manifestations among Muslims.

The Patriarchate also organized a political conference to encourage Antiochian Christians to actively participate in the political life of Syria. “We see this as a significant development after many years of passivity in politics, which has negatively affected the Christian community in Syria. We also call on the government and people of Greece to support and assist such initiatives,” the statement said.

DRUZE AND KURDS: CAUTIOUS OPTIMISM
The appointment of Druze activist Mohsen al-Maitawi as governor of Suwayda province, populated by members of this religious minority, was able to open up opportunities for more productive cooperation with the new authorities in Damascus. Thus, the largest armed Druze groups, People of Dignity and Liwa al-Jabal, announced on January 6 their readiness to integrate into the new Syrian army.

This was the result of meetings between political, religious and public figures from Suwayda and officials from the transitional government, which agreed that all key positions for ensuring security in the region would be given to Druze.

A process of negotiations has also begun between the predominantly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the new Syrian authorities.

An SDF delegation met with Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on December 30. The parties discussed the future of northern Syria, security cooperation between the SDF and the transitional government, and the fate of Kurdish-controlled areas of Aleppo.

Media outlets affiliated with the SDF called the meeting positive, noting that such discussions are expected to intensify in the coming weeks. SDF chief Mazloum Abdi noted that during the talks, the parties agreed on the need to preserve a united Syria. Therefore, it can be said that the SDF has already made certain concessions, abandoning the federalization of the country.

The transitional government hopes to peacefully integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces into the structures of the Ministry of Defense and does not intend to start an armed conflict for now. This, however, may be met with opposition from Turkey and the Syrian National Army (SNA) formations associated with it, which hope to solve the "problem" of the Syrian Kurds by force and are already preparing a new military operation.

PRO-TURKISH FORCES: INTEGRATION PROBLEMS
The SNA and Turkey have their own priorities, which do not fully correspond to the plans of the new authorities in Damascus. At the same time, the integration of the SNA into the new Syrian army has not yet begun, despite statements by its factions about self-dissolution and entry into new structures.

Moreover, the future of the so-called interim government in Gaziantep, Turkey, under whose auspices the SNA operates, is also unclear: it has not yet been dissolved either.

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that the SNA, with the support of Turkey, will begin its own military campaign against the SDF, which could disrupt Damascus’ plans for the peaceful integration of Kurdish formations.

For now, Damascus and HTS have only received the opportunity to take control of border crossings that were previously controlled by the SNA.

The issue of including the "Southern Operational Headquarters" in the new army is no less complicated. It was the forces of this command that were the first to enter Damascus on December 8.

Armed groups in southern Syria have declared their refusal to disband themselves in accordance with the wishes of the new administration leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa. This will complicate his task of establishing Damascus' authority throughout Syria and could lead to serious consequences and even a clash between the parties.

A spokesman for the Southern Operations Command, which currently controls Daraa province, Colonel Nassim Abu Arra, told Al-Akhbar that the southern factions do not agree with the "idea of dissolving the factions."

He noted that they have weapons, heavy equipment and full gear, and they should become part of the Ministry of Defense forces as a single military body.

However, the real leader of the southern Syrian forces, who prefers to remain in the shadows and refuses to take up positions in the new government, is Ahmad al-Awda, the former commander of the 8th Brigade of the 5th Corps, formed by the Russian military from among the reconciled rebels. He apparently also intends to play his own game, relying on the support of the UAE and Jordan, which are very wary of al-Sharaa.

The latter also has many problems with more radical groups such as Ansar al-Tawhid. Since HTS took control of Hama province on December 5, 2024, several extrajudicial executions, destruction of houses, attacks on public and private property have been recorded there. They were carried out by representatives of this group from among foreign citizens, primarily ethnic Uzbeks and people from the Russian Caucasus.

It is known that al-Sharaa met with representatives of this group in Damascus, but the results of the meeting and whether it will be liquidated are unknown. However, the number of sectarian crimes in the Hama region has decreased. Also, representatives of this radical group were unable to prevent the celebration of Christmas in the province.

ALAWITES: THREAT OF REPRISALS
Security issues in Alawite-populated areas remain the most difficult. The delicate balance between restoring order and protecting individual rights is highlighted by sporadic reports of people being detained for minor violations. There are also crackdowns on alleged accomplices to Bashar al-Assad 's regime crimes. However, the criteria for "involvement" are not clearly defined. Therefore, any Alawite who served in the security forces could be at risk.

And while there are not many serious abuses in other parts of the country, in regions where Alawites live, the number of violent acts increases sharply.

There are two factors at play here.

Firstly, the hostility of Assad's opponents towards the Alawites as the regime's mainstay that developed during the civil war. And, secondly, the persistence of cells of armed supporters of Assad in Alawite areas who carry out attacks on representatives of the new Syrian authorities.

On December 28, the transitional government's security forces launched a large-scale operation to clear northwestern Syria, the purpose of which was to find "war criminals" from among the employees of the former Syrian structures. However, independent observers noted that peaceful Alawites who were not members of the armed formations of the former government also became victims of such operations. Some of them were subjected to violence, beatings and arrests simply because they belonged to the Alawite religious community.

There have been cases of Alawites being killed by radical jihadists who serve the current transitional government. These killings have usually been presented as “eliminations” of criminals in hiding. The situation is aggravated by the presence of a large number of provocateurs and openly criminal elements in the region.

However, despite the existing cases of violence against members of minorities, there are no mass killings, much less genocide, of Alawites, contrary to the statements of a number of information resources associated with the previous regime, as well as some Kurdish and Alawite organizations.

Numerous journalists and representatives of human rights organizations work openly in the country, recording almost all cases of violence, and any acts of mass reprisals would have become known immediately. Just as the names and places of detention of all those arrested after the establishment of the new government became known.

But this does not change the existing problems that Alawite sheikhs pointed out at a meeting with representatives of the transitional government in Tartus in early January.

Ahmad al-Sharaa, through his envoys, tried to reassure the Alawites, stressing that HTS and the transitional government were seeking to protect minorities. In response, the sheikhs declared their support for the transitional phase and their desire to build a just state. They noted that the Assad regime did not represent any sect or faith, and the Alawites should not be held accountable for its crimes: it was a repressive system from which everyone suffered.

The Alawites also demanded that criminals from all sides, not just former supporters of the regime, be held accountable fairly and without discrimination. Incidentally, this demand is absolutely fair.

Of course, everyone is familiar with the mass killings of civilians by Assad's supporters from the so-called shabiha. For example, one can recall the massacre in Houla in May 2012, where more than 100 bodies of civilians were found, including 32 children under 10 years old. The UN Security Council blamed the Syrian government for these events in a corresponding resolution, which was then supported by Russia.

However, the opposition also committed mass killings of civilians, including women and children, during the conflict, and most often the victims were Alawites. Examples include the bloody events in the cities of Arima (Latakia) in August 2013 and Al-Zara (Homs) in May 2016. In both cases, the terrorist group Jabhat al-Nusra, the predecessor of HTS, was involved in the mass killings of Alawite civilians.

Therefore, if we are talking about searching for people who committed particularly serious crimes during the civil war, then this should not concern only the accomplices of the regime; all those responsible should be held accountable.

The Alawites also insist on the eradication of all abuses and violations that occur locally in relation to representatives of individual faiths. They supported the confiscation of weapons from all those who are not in the service of the state, but again drew attention to the fact that the confiscation operations should concern not only representatives of individual sects and faiths (primarily the Alawites), but also all other citizens of Syria, including former members of opposition groups.

Alawite leaders also called on the authorities to prevent decisions that harm social equality, such as arbitrary dismissals or delays in salaries for members of certain faiths.

Thus, over the past month, Syria has not descended into bloody chaos, but the threat of disintegration, followed by a new round of civil war, remains on the agenda. And in this matter, much depends not only on the ability of the various factions of Syrian society to negotiate and the ability of the authorities to keep the radicals in check, but also on the position of international players.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

From jihadi group to gov’t, cont’d: ~~New regime~~ HTS in Syria said to appoint some foreign Islamist fighters to military

2024-12-31

[IsraelTimes] Prominent Uighur, Jordanian, and Turkish foreign fighters given military ranks, as Islamist rebel group at core of de facto new government in Syria arranges formal armed forces

Syria’s new rulers have installed some imported muscle including Uighurs, a Jordanian, and a Turk in the country’s armed forces, as Damascus tries to shape a patchwork of rebel groups into a professional military, two Syrian sources said.

The move to give official roles, including senior ones, to several jihadists may alarm some foreign governments and Syrian citizens fearful about the new administration’s intentions, despite its pledges not to export Islamic revolution and to rule with tolerance toward Syria’s large minority groups.

A Syrian government spokesperson did not reply to a request for comment on the thinking behind the appointments.

The sources said that out of a total of almost 50 military roles announced by the Defense Ministry on Sunday, at least six had gone to foreigners.

Rooters was not able to independently verify the nationalities of the individuals appointed.

Thousands of Sunni Moslem foreigners joined Syria’s rebels early in the 13-year civil war to fight against the rule of Bashir Pencilneck al-Assad
One of the last of the old-fashioned hereditary iron-fisted fascist dictators...
and the Iran-backed Shiite militias that supported him. Some imported muscle formed their own gangs while others joined established formations such as Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
as it rampaged across Iraq and Syria, briefly declaring a so-called caliphate before being routed by US and Iran-backed forces.

Other groups of foreign jihadists joined Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS), which disavowed previous links to al-Qaeda and Islamic State and fought bloody battles against them before going on to spearhead the lightning advance that toppled Assad on December 8.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the HTS-leader-turned de facto ruler of Syria, has purged dozens of foreign jihadi fighters as part of a campaign to Syrianize and moderate his group.

In remarks broadcast on Sunday, Sharaa said the new Syria "cannot be run by the mentality of groups and militias."

Syria’s new rulers, drawn mainly from HTS, have indicated that imported muscle and their families may be given Syrian citizenship and be allowed to stay in the country because of their contributions to the fight against Assad.

The Defense Ministry on Sunday announced 49 appointments to the army that included leaders of key Syrian armed factions. Among them were several imported muscle, three given the rank of brigadier-general and at least three others the rank of colonel, a Syrian military source said.

’TOKEN OF RECOGNITION’
"This is a small token of recognition for the sacrifices Islamist jihadists gave to our struggle for freedom from Assad’s oppression," an HTS source told Rooters.

Chinese Uighur Abdulaziz Dawood Khudaberdi, also known as Zahid and the commander of the separatist Turkistan Islamic Party’s (TIP) forces in Syria, was appointed a brigadier-general, a TIP statement said and the Syrian military source confirmed.

Two other Uighur fighters, Mawlan Tarsoun Abdussamad and Abdulsalam Yasin Ahmad, were given the rank of colonel, said the TIP statement published on its website, congratulating them and the Uighur community on the appointments.

All the names appear in Sunday’s Defense Ministry announcement, though the nationalities are not included.

The TIP is thought to have hundreds of fighters in Syria and aims to establish an Islamic State in parts of China and central Asia, where there is a large Uighur Moslem population.

Rights groups accuse Beijing of widespread abuses of Uighurs, a mainly Moslem ethnic minority that numbers around 10 million in the western region of Xinjiang, including the mass use of forced labor in camps. Beijing denies any abuses.

There was no immediate comment from the Chinese foreign ministry.

China labels the TIP a terrorist organization responsible for plots to attack overseas Chinese targets. Beijing has said TIP "gravely threatens" China’s interests and security overseas and that combating the group was China’s "core concern" in its counter-terrorism effort.

Ottoman Turkish citizen Omar Mohammed Jaftashi and Jordanian citizen Abdul Rahman Hussein al-Khatib were also made brigadier-generals, the Syrian military source and the HTS source said.

Abdul Jashari, an ethnically Albanian fighter also known as Abu Qatada al-Albani, was appointed colonel, the military source said. Jashari heads the Albanian jihadist group Xhemati Alban and was designated a terrorist by the US Treasury in 2016.

Egyptian Alaa Mohammed Abdel-Baqi was also given a military rank, the source said.

Egypt’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Xhemati Alban: Albanian Snipers in Syria
December 8, 2024

Excerpted from a much longer post witht he usual Grey Dynamics information.

[GreyDynamics] Xhemati Alban is a Sunni jihadist militant group operating in the Idlib Governorate in Syria. Garnering attention for its formidable “sniper squad”, they have been active in spreading propaganda detailing the unit’s exploits. Linked to Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) they have been involved in several operations together. Comprised of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo and North Macedonia, the group’s current membership numbers are unknown but believed to not exceed two dozen members. Despite claiming establishment in 2012, the group’s earliest piece of propaganda dates back to 2017.

The group’s fighters are relatively unadorned when compared to contemporary modern fighting forces and their propaganda pieces are usually without patches of any kind. However, the group does have one patch of note which is that of Albanian Tactical which is a further subgroup within Xhemati Alban. Albanian Tactical offers tactical training in line with other mercenary or contract organisations in the region such as Yurtugh Tactical and Muhojir Tactical. This has allowed them to frame themselves as a contract enterprise and not simply a militia/terror group.

Xhemati Alban, which translates to “Albanian Group,” comprises ethnic Albanians from Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, and the Presovo Valley in Serbia. Although the group claims to have originated in 2012, reports indicate that its active operations began around 2017, coinciding with its involvement in conflicts such as those in Ras al-Ayn, Abu al-Duhur Airbase, and Jisr al-Shughur.

Under the leadership of Abu Qatada al-Albani (Abdul Jashari), born in 1976 in Skopje, North Macedonia, the group appointed its military leader, as designated by former Jabhat al-Nusra leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani in 2014. Al-Albani’s association with Jabhat al-Nusra led to his inclusion in the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List in late 2016. Notably, al-Albani also serves as a close military advisor to the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).

HTS appoints Maysaa Sabrine to lead central bank, first woman to hold position
[IsraelTimes] Syria’s new rulers have appointed Maysaa Sabrine, formerly a deputy governor of the Syrian central bank, to lead the institution, a senior Syrian official says.

Sabrine does not immediately respond to a request for comment.

She will be the first woman to lead the institution in its more than 70-year history, replacing Mohammed Issam Hazime who was appointed governor in 2021 by now-toppled president Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian FM says he accepted invitation to visit Saudi Arabia
[IsraelTimes] Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, appointed by the new rulers, says on X that he has accepted an invitation from his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah to visit, in what would be his first foreign trip.

Link

Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Lessons of Syria: The Fall of Damascus as the Main Outcome of the Year in the Middle East

2024-12-29

Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Kirill Semenov

[REGNUM] The fall of the Assad regime in Syria and the rise to power of the armed opposition has undoubtedly become the main sensation of the year, leaving many other significant episodes in its shadow. This event has already shaken the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), but it is likely that we are only hearing distant rumblings so far, and the main waves of this tsunami may follow later and spill out beyond the region.

The conquest of Damascus after a ten-day campaign by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allied forces led by Ahmad al-Sharaa (as Abu Muhammad al-Jolani is now known by his real name) could lead to a new awakening of the Middle East. The "Arab winter" could be replaced by a new "Arab spring". But for now, the Russian Federation is concerned with more pressing issues.

TWO MAIN QUESTIONS FOR RUSSIA
The issue of the presence of foreign, primarily Russian-speaking, jihadists in Syria will obviously require prompt intervention from the new authorities.

Most of the violence and extrajudicial killings, including against members of minorities, which have already sparked mass protests among Alawites, are linked to them. The same applies to attacks on religious sites of Alawites and Christians.

Obviously, these people did not come to Syria to watch Jolani destroy their dream of “Sharia rule and the spread of jihad,” but instead to implement his “Ikhwan” project, based on the work of the “Muslim Brotherhood”.

However, there is already a well-trodden path for such jihadists.

Jolani "expelled" his most radical supporters from Idlib towards Ukraine back in 2022-23. This concerns, for example, part of the "Ajnad al-Kavkaz" and "Albanian Jamaat" groups, which joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

This summer, the Kiev regime already expressed its readiness to take the most radical jihadist groups into its fold. At that time, Jolani apparently had his own plans for them. But now, after the end of military operations, it is obviously more profitable for him to get rid of them as soon as possible rather than keep them, and they can go not only to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, but also to Russia.

And this is one of the threats to Russia emanating from the “new Syria”.

The second factor that directly affects Moscow’s interests is the fate of Russian military bases.

As it became known after the direct line with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the country's leadership has not yet made a final decision on them, if we are talking about the long term. However, at present and probably in the coming months, their functioning will continue.

The new Syrian authorities, at least at this stage, also do not object to the preservation of Russian military facilities. This, in particular, was stated by Jolani in an interview with a British media outlet.

At least at this stage — words to be concerned by.

According to him, Syria and Russia have long-standing strategic relations that cannot be broken off overnight in a hurry, so the new Syrian authorities are in no hurry to demand the withdrawal of Russian bases, as some wish or imagine. To a clarifying question from a journalist whether this means that the Russians, with the right approach, can stay, he answered that in principle, yes, they can stay.

However, it is obvious that under any scenario Russia will no longer be able to use its military facilities in Syria in the same way as before.

"Since the start of the Syrian campaign, Syria, as a zone within the interests of the Southern Military District of the Russian Armed Forces, has been fully used by Moscow to demonstrate a threat on NATO's southern flank. Now, even if we manage to reach an agreement on bases with the new Syrian authorities, no general will risk deploying Tu-95MS strategic missile carriers or MiG-31 high-speed interceptors with long-range missiles, given that the planes could be fired upon, allegedly by accident, by "certain cells" with small arms from commanding heights," Anton Mardasov, an analyst in the field of Middle East security, told Regnum.

According to him, there remains the possibility of using bases in Syria as a logistics hub to support Russian operations in Africa.

At the same time, as Mardasov notes, it will be quite difficult for Russia to strengthen ties with current Damascus, given that Moscow’s opponents, such as Ukraine and Poland, are rushing to establish cooperation with it, not to mention Britain, France and the United States.

Moscow will most likely continue to expand its activity in regions with crisis situations. However, given the limitations of economic resources and the ability to project power through, for example, reliance on the Navy, it will be possible to fully move to this only with the solution of problems in Ukraine, which will be able to provide Russia with a positive result and add weight in the international arena.

At the same time, as the analyst emphasized, Sudan or Libya, even with successful agreements, are too temporary options for official facilities, given the specifics of power in these countries, and are unlikely to be able to replace Russian bases in Syria.

TRIANGLE RUSSIA, IRAN, TÜRKIYE
Another open question at the end of the year: was Iran really so weakened and frightened by Israel’s actions that it did not intervene in the final, fleeting phase of the Syrian conflict, or did Tehran have other, much more pragmatic motives for “giving up the game”?

A good question.

Perhaps the Iranian leadership has begun to rethink its role and real possibilities in Middle Eastern affairs. In the face of the threat of a social explosion due to the growth of internal contradictions, the baggage called the "Assad regime" has become an increasingly heavy burden for Iran.

On the horizon is January 20, 2025, and Donald Trump’s return to the Oval Office, along with the tightening of sanctions pressure on the Islamic Republic and the closing of all loopholes for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to receive income from Iranian oil exports and the subsequent deprivation of the ability to finance the “Axis of Resistance.” This will lead to a sharp deterioration in the lives of most Iranians and an even greater increase in protest sentiment.

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that Iran wants to open a new page in relations with the United States. Moving away from financing and supporting its proxies to solving exclusively internal pressing problems could allow, if not to reduce Washington's pressure, then to minimize the prospects for introducing new restrictions.

Deploying regular IRGC units and tens of thousands of Shiite militias to Syria to save Assad would be perceived by Israel and the US as a direct threat and would lead to their intervention in the conflict. And Iran does not need the inevitable new sanctions that would accompany it, given its already exorbitant costs.

Therefore, it cannot be ruled out that Tehran chose not to intervene in order not to worsen its own situation.

As Nikolai Sukhov, a leading research fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and a professor at the Institute of Oriental and African Studies at the Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, told Regnum, “the loss of Syria as an ally weakens Iran’s strategic position, especially its ability to support Hezbollah, in connection with which Tehran may increase investments in proxy groups in Lebanon and Iraq to compensate for the loss of influence in Syria. Or, on the contrary, it may focus resources on mitigating internal economic and social problems, thereby reducing the pressure of the Axis of Resistance on Israel and the United States.”

According to the orientalist, increased pressure from Israel and the US “is forcing Iran to adapt its foreign policy, and the scenario its leadership will choose will be shown in the near future.”

Good.

In this context, it is important for Moscow to understand whether Tehran is aiming to further expand its partnership with Russia, which should soon become “strategic” (tentatively, after February 2025, when the corresponding memorandum is planned to be signed). And whether Iran will abandon deepening ties with Russia in favor of normalizing relations with the United States and the West.

The Great Satan? Not likely, so long as the Mad Mullahs are in charge.

Events in Syria have shown that such a scenario is quite realistic.

In turn, Iran itself is showing similar concerns.

Tehran is concerned about the prospect of a quick end to the NWO and a deal between Moscow and Washington in which the Islamic Republic could become a bargaining chip.

The fall of the Assad regime has already generated a certain amount of mistrust on this issue. In Iran, there are behind-the-scenes opinions that Turkey and Russia could have agreed behind Tehran's back on the fate of the former Syrian regime.

"Iran, of course, is also offended by Ankara, but, in fact, only because it itself missed the opportunity to save the regime that it subsidized for so many years. In the new reality, Tehran will one way or another face a serious revision of its "Axis of Resistance", the capabilities of which have changed significantly. And in this regard, expanding ties with Turkey may be a completely viable option, especially since, contrary to idle talk, Turkish actions in the South Caucasus after the end of the Karabakh story are not as dangerous for Iran as Iranian ones are for the Turks," says Mardasov.

One way or another, Assad’s fall had a negative impact on the background of both Iranian-Turkish and Russian-Iranian interactions.

Although, indeed, if we talk about relations between Moscow and Ankara, there is now one less conflict point in Russian-Turkish relations, even though in Russia itself Turkey’s actions in supporting the armed opposition can be seen as another stab in the back.

Türkiye is trying to try on the laurel crown of the winner in the Syrian war, but it will itself face many new challenges.

Good.

It is obvious that Ankara will help Syria to carry out reforms, including constitutional and military ones, including the creation of a new army.

I must have missed a step. How is it obvious?

Turkey emphasizes the need to take into account the rights of all religious and ethnic minorities. Also, the new Syrian authorities will receive support in the fight against terrorism, hoping first of all to solve the problem of Kurdish groups from the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

The United States generally welcomes Turkey's increased role in Syrian affairs and is likely to be willing to compromise its support for the SDF. The same applies to its position on protecting ethnic and religious minorities. Now this is also a headache for Turkey.

Washington does not understand the true nature of HTS and does not trust Jolani, so they want to shift all responsibility to Turkey. And Washington will redirect the claims for failures both in the fight against ISIS terrorism and for violence against minorities to Ankara.

There is another weak link in Turkey’s consolidation of its role in Syria: it cannot fully control Jolani, who has always been inclined to play his own game and “screw” his former patrons. In Idlib, the Turks had much more leverage over HTS than they do now.

SYRIA AND THE NEW "ARAB SPRING"
The fall of the Assad regime demonstrated that the Islamic factor in the Middle East continues to play a role and is capable of serving as a basis for consolidation.

If it takes the form of “moderate Islamism” instead of “Salafi jihadism,” it can be accepted by the wider Sunni society, not just its religious part. In this case, the majority refuses to support and defend with arms the rule of secular autocrats. As happened in Syria.

Therefore, political Islam was written off too early. In this regard, we can expect an awakening of Islamic forces in other countries where the "Arab Spring" has passed into "autumn" and finally, it would seem, ended in a "long winter".

Moreover, in most countries affected by the events of the "Arab Spring", the reform processes have not been completed or, more precisely, have not even begun. And all those factors that forced the people to take to the streets in 2011 demanding the departure of the previous governments are still relevant.

The main lesson from the events in Syria is that all attempts to preserve the situation in one country or another and to do without deep transformations, even in the event of a military victory by one of the parties in an internal conflict, promise only a new collapse, social explosion or revolution.

In Syria, the Assad regime refused to engage in substantive dialogue with the opposition, labeling all of its opponents as terrorists, did not take into account the objective factors that caused the civil war in the country, and was intent on returning to the situation of 2011 without any significant changes to the state structure and the system of relations between the government and society.

The fall of the Assad regime also demonstrated that it is not enough to win the war to retain power; to do so, it is also necessary to win the peace.

It is necessary to carry out reforms, and not limit ourselves to demonstrative half-measures. It is necessary to conduct a dialogue with the real opposition, including the armed one, to be able to attract it to the side of the authorities, and not to replace the search for compromises with opponents by creating "tame oppositionists". It is also very important to be able to find the strength to share part of the power in time, so as not to lose everything.

Thus, according to Nikolai Sukhov, "the fall of the Assad regime and the rise to power of HTS underscore the importance of understanding the internal political dynamics and supporting local elites. Despite significant military and diplomatic assistance from Russia, Assad was unable to maintain control over the entire country in the long term. Russia must take into account that supporting authoritarian regimes without taking into account the interests of different ethnic and political groups, as well as without adequate and long-term, rather than one-time, intervention in the process of internal reconciliation, can lead to the collapse of the state."

In this regard, according to the orientalist, Russia’s intervention in the Syrian crisis, despite achieving short-term military goals, did not ensure long-term stability.

“In the future, Russia must be prepared to pay more attention to social, political and economic processes in the countries it supports, ensuring a comprehensive solution to problems, and not just military intervention,” Sukhov notes.

All the same problems that led to the fall of the Assad regime are, in one form or another, inherent in those states where it would seem that the "Arab Spring" was reversed. Be it Egypt or Tunisia. The only difference is the absence of an armed opposition.

But in addition to this, there is a threat of revolutionary changes in the states that are neighboring Syria and closely connected to it, which at the same time find themselves, to one degree or another, drawn into the conflict around Palestine, and the events in this country have a direct and negative impact on their internal political dynamics.

According to Sukhov, the threat of radicalization in Syria and instability in the south of that country will prompt Amman to strengthen security on its northern border, and “in Jordan’s domestic politics, one can predict the strengthening of the influence of local branches of the Muslim Brotherhood, up to and including an attempt at a coup and seizure of power by Islamists.”

According to the orientalist, this will also affect Lebanon.

"The loss of support for the Assad regime weakens Hezbollah, which has already changed the Lebanese political dynamics, and forces hostile to Hezbollah are trying to minimize its role in the country's economic and social life, thereby reducing the population's support for the military-political course of this organization. At the same time, the Lebanese economic crisis could be aggravated by new migration flows from Syria and an increased threat of local interfaith conflicts," Sukhov said.

SYRIAN LESSONS
Summing up the events in Syria, it is important for Russia to work on its mistakes in order to avoid them in Africa and other regions of its military presence.

During the Syrian campaign, its initial goals - the fight against ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra terrorists - were absolutely correct and understandable. But it soon became clear that the Russian Armed Forces in Syria would support Assad against all his opponents, including the moderate opposition, which, in order not to go beyond the initial objectives, was informally called "moderate terrorists."

This led to Assad, having achieved his goals in the civil war with the help of Russian weapons, becoming increasingly less receptive to signals from Moscow. The Russian side could not encourage the Syrian leadership to reform and properly influence decision-making. And most of the decisions made by Damascus were wrong.

Russia became the victor over ISIS in Syria, but it was unable to simultaneously become the country that put an end to the civil war, launched a full-fledged peace process, and began restoring the economy and returning refugees. To do this, it was necessary to act in defiance of Assad and force his regime to change, rather than follow his wishes.

Thus, by strengthening Assad and doing his job of clearing out any armed opposition, Moscow deprived itself of leverage over Damascus, which became less and less with each successful operation against the opposition.

Conversely, maintaining the situation of at least 2017, with a strong opposition and a process of reconciliation with Assad under Russian auspices, would strengthen Russia's position, turning it into a real guarantor of the implementation of agreements for both Assad and the opposition. And involving the opposition in the work of the government would allow it to begin to climb out of the quagmire of corruption into which the Syrian authorities have driven themselves.

Therefore, in Africa, we should also avoid Russia becoming simply a participant in a civil war instead of fighting terrorist groups, supporting one of the parties that has come to power in much the same way that the Tuaregs want to create their own state, in the same Mali.

In order to strengthen one's influence abroad, it is necessary to create a multi-layered presence, which should not be limited to supporting the government. And when destroying terrorists, it is necessary not to cleanse the armed opposition and rebels, but, on the contrary, to negotiate with them, turning them into one's own proxy forces and allies, and through them to influence the government, including introducing them into its composition.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

800 Yazidi women believed to be held in Syria’s rebel prisons: Activist

2024-12-13

[Rudaw] Around 800 Yazidi women and dozens of Peshmerga fighters, who once were Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that they were al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're really very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling Allah around with every other sentence, but to hear western pols talk they're not really Moslems....
[ISIS] captives, are believed to be held in a prison under the control of Syrian rebel forces, according to a rights activist.

Araz Jalal, a representative from the Egypt-based International Organization for Development and Human Rights, told Rudaw’s Nasir Ali this week that al-Nusra
...formally Jabhat an-Nusrah li-Ahli al-Sham (Support Front for the People of the Levant), also known as al-Qaeda in the Levant. They aim to establish a pan-Arab caliphate. Not the same one as the Islamic State, though .. ...
Front (Jabhat al-Nusra), which has been rebranded as the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
(HTS), is still "holding 800 Yazidi women and girls who had been held hostage by the Islamic State (ISIS)" when the group attacked their hometown of Shingal in 2014.

Syria’s civil war dramatically reignited late last month when a coalition of rebels led by the jihadist HTS launched a blistering offensive against the Syrian army, seizing the northern cities of Aleppo, Hama, Homs, and ultimately capturing the capital Damascus as Assad fled the country, ending over five decades of Baathist rule.

Celebrations across Syria, sparked by the fall of the regime, were abruptly halted as stories about the inmates of the Sednaya prison in the Damascus suburbs began to emerge.

Hundreds of prisoners who were freed from the notorious prison, following the fall of the regime, have been admitted to hospitals across Syria to receive treatment following years of abuse. Families have flooded the hospitals looking for their long-lost loved ones.

Rudaw’s cameras inside the prison on Wednesday captured workers digging through walls and the ground, following social media rumors suggesting that more inmates might be in hidden sections of the prison.

Jalal also said that after the fall of ISIS in Iraq, nearly 60 Peshmerga fighters were held hostage by the holy warriors who were taken to Syria but have not been found yet. He believes that they were kept alive because they needed them for hostage exchange deals.

He added that after ISIS lost most of its territory in Syria, the Peshmerga hostages must have been transferred to the HTS or Syrian regime prisons.

"According to our information, about 60,000 prisoners have been released from Syrian prisons, but hundreds more have not yet been released," Jalal said.

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Syria-Lebanon-Iran

Syria rebels appear to credit Israeli strikes on Hezbollah with aiding shock advance

2024-12-03

[IsraelTimes] Opposition figures speaking to Israeli TV say they love Jewish state and want to forge friendship; report indicates Hezbollah may be sending forces to Syria as Assad looks for help

We can see who Al Qaeda thinks is the regional strong horse… Note that neither they nor ISIS seriously went after Israel, even though they are that desirable target, the Saturday people.

A Syrian rebel involved in a re-energized insurgency challenging regime forces reportedly told an Israeli network that the IDF’s campaign against Iran-backed forces had likely aided opposition fighters who managed to capture Aleppo and other areas in a lightning offensive last week.

Insurgents led by jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham launched a two-pronged attack on Aleppo and the countryside around Idlib on Wednesday, notching major gains and dealing a huge embarrassment to Syrian leader Bashar Assad, while increasing pressure on his allies Iran and Russia — which are preoccupied with their own conflicts.

The rebel offensive was launched just as a ceasefire went into effect between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, which had suffered serious setbacks to its manpower and arsenal in recent weeks after Jerusalem launched an intensified campaign aimed at neutralizing the threat posed by the terror group to northern Israel.

“Nobody knows if Iran and the regime would have been weakened without the recent Israeli attacks in Syria, which have allowed us to return and free the lands and the country,” a man described as an opposition activist from the Aleppo area told Israel’s Kan public broadcaster in comments aired Sunday. Israel has for a long time carried out periodic strikes against Iranian targets and weapons transfers in Syria.

Another rebel figure from the Idlib area who spoke to the network thanked Jerusalem and said the opposition was “very satisfied” with Israel’s actions against Hezbollah and other Iran-backed players. Hezbollah is avowedly committed to destroying Israel.

“They accuse us of cooperating with you because we were quite happy when you attacked Hezbollah, really happy, and we’re glad that you won,” the source said.

Odd how so many others proclaim that really Hezbollah won, not Israel.

Both said the rebels had no issue with Israel. “We love Israel and we were never its enemies,” the man from the Idlib area said. “[Israel] isn’t hostile to those who are not hostile toward it. We don’t hate you, we love you very much.”

”…Because you kill Shiites for us. Later, after we defeat them, we will happily hate you again and try to conquer you. ALLAHU AKHBAR! ULULULULULULULU!!!”

Kan did not provide other information on the identity of the rebels or what groups they hailed from. The new insurgency has been led by jihadist fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly al-Nusra, before that it was called something else

...al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate, from which sprang the Islamic State...
, an offshoot of the al-Qaeda terror organization previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra, or the Nusra Front.

But the comments appeared to jibe with those of a man identified as a rebel commander who told Israel’s Channel 12 news in remarks also aired Sunday that the timing of the offensive in Syria had not been coincidental.

“We looked at the [ceasefire] agreement with Hezbollah and understood that this is the time to liberate our lands,” said the source. “This operation was critical. We will not let Hezbollah fight in our areas and we will not let the Iranians take root there.”

The rebel commander added that the goal was to topple the Assad regime and set up a government that has good relations with all its neighbors, including Israel.

Hudna! Hudnah! Hudnah! (They plan to go after the country of the Jooooos after they’ve absorbed Syria, just like Mohammed. Inshallah, of course.

“It will be a country based on equality and justice for all Syrian citizens without exception, where there will be peace and security with the entire region, including with Israel,” he tells Channel 12.

”Very peaceful, after everyone who is not us submits, as Allah intended.”

Also speaking to the channel, exiled Syrian opposition leader Fahad Al Masri egged on Israel’s military to back the opposition offensive.

“We call on the Israeli leadership to launch intensive attacks against the positions and troops of the Iran-backed militias in Syrian territory,” he said. “It will be necessary to strike sites in Homs, Damascus and on the Lebanon border. This will help rid Syria’s territory of the Lebanese presence and Hezbollah’s weapons and the octopus tentacles of Iran.”

A LITTLE HELP FROM ASSAD’S FRIENDS
Both Tehran and Moscow have pledged to continue supporting Assad, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterating that support Monday morning.

On Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to Damascus to meet the Syrian leader, saying the Islamic Republic would “firmly support the Syrian government and army,” Iranian state media reported.

After the talks, Assad emphasized “the importance of the support of allies and friends in confronting foreign-backed terrorist attacks.”

Hezbollah, an Iranian proxy, was another key element in helping Assad quash rebel advances during Syria’s long civil war, but it is unclear to what extent the organization would be able to aid the regime now as it attempts to regroup following Israel’s punishing offensive.

According to a separate Kan report Sunday, Western intelligence officials have seen evidence that Hezbollah had sent forces from Lebanon to Syria to defend the terror group’s infrastructure in northern Syria, fearing that Iranian or Hezbollah holdings could fall into rebel hands.

Despite halting most fire in Lebanon, Israel has vowed to continue striking Hezbollah if it spots attempts to resupply the group with arms, which have generally run through Syria. On Saturday, Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck infrastructure in Syria near the country’s border crossings with Lebanon which the Israel Defense Forces said were being “actively” used by Hezbollah to transfer weapons.

The Lebanese army said Monday morning that an Israeli drone struck a Lebanese military bulldozer while it was carrying out fortification work inside the Al-Abbara military base near Lebanon’s border with Syria, injuring one soldier.

In Syria, Assad was attempting to rush reinforcements northward, prompting battles on Sunday and Monday as government troops attempted to halt the rebels’ advance to Hama.

Syrian state media said government resupply included heavy equipment and rocket launchers while Syrian and Russian airstrikes targeted weapon depots and insurgent strongholds. Sham FM, which is closely linked to the regime, said the Syrian army shot down drones belonging to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in northern Hama.

Speaking to The Times of Israel over the weekend, an Israel official wouldn’t say whether Israel saw the rebel success as a positive development, noting only that Israel was “paying close attention all the time to what is happening in Syria, and is ready for any scenario.”

US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN’s “State of the Union” that the US was also watching the situation carefully, noting that Washington had “real concerns about the designs and objectives of” Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The profundity of that profound statement is irrefutable.

“At the same time, of course, we don’t cry over the fact that the Assad government, backed by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, are facing certain kinds of pressure,” he added.

Rebel commander Col. Hassan Abdulghani said the insurgents’ advance in the countryside around Idlib put all of the province of the same name under their control.

In Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib province, military vehicles abandoned by Syrian troops dotted the roads. People posed and took pictures of themselves atop one abandoned tank on a highway, while the insurgents grabbed munitions and shells from them before continuing their push deeper into Syria.

The insurgents vowed to push all the way into Damascus, but life in the Syrian capital remained normal with no signs of panic. In southeastern Aleppo, however, the main road out of the city was gridlocked as people fled the fighting, and gas stations in the area were short on fuel.

Syrian state television claimed government forces had killed nearly 1,000 insurgents over the past three days, without providing evidence or details.

Government airstrikes in Idlib and Aleppo killed at least 25 people, of whom 14 were women and children, according to the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, which operates in opposition-held areas.