Syrian Aleppo conflict escalates, with fierce clashes between Syrian military and anti-government armed groups

The Syrian military issued a statement on November 30 saying that the Syrian rebels had entered most of the northern city of Aleppo on the same day, and that the Syrian government forces would redeploy to counterattack. Several foreign media quoted the Syrian rebels as saying that the rebels had taken control of Aleppo International Airport and continued to control several strongholds in the northern part of Hama Province. The Syrian military denied this claim.

The Syrian military said in a statement that in recent days, the Syrian rebels and extremist organizations, with the support of foreign extremist forces, have launched large-scale attacks on Aleppo and Idlib provinces in the northwest of Syria from multiple directions using heavy weapons and a large number of drones. The Syrian government forces resisted the attack in many positions, and dozens of soldiers died in the battle, with many others injured.

Syrian media reported on the 30th that a large number of armed men appeared on the streets and communities of Aleppo city on that day. Schools and government agencies in Aleppo have been almost completely closed, and commercial activities have basically stopped. On that day, the Syrian government’s warplanes carried out air strikes against the rebel gathering points and convoys in Aleppo.

Syrian rebels said they controlled Aleppo International Airport

On the same day, several foreign media quoted the Syrian rebels as saying that after occupying several key areas in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, the Syrian rebels controlled Aleppo International Airport in the southeast of Aleppo city and continued to control several strongholds in the northern part of Hama province.

Syrian military denies withdrawing from Hama

In response, the Syrian military issued a statement saying that the Syrian armed forces were stationed in the northern and eastern rural areas of Hama province, and the claim that the Syrian army had withdrawn from Hama was groundless. The Syrian military was ready to “repel any potential terrorist attacks”.

Who are the Syrian rebels who invaded Aleppo?

Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the domestic situation has been turbulent and unstable. Many countries have launched strategic games in Syria, and all parties have their own supporters. The proliferation of factions has become the norm in Syria. So, what is the background of the Syrian rebels who launched the offensive in Aleppo and Idlib provinces?

The “Sham Liberation Organization” has a long history with “Al-Qaeda”

The armed group that launched this offensive is called the “Sham Liberation Organization”, which is a religious extremist group that has long been entrenched in Aleppo and Idlib provinces in Syria.

The predecessor of the “Sham Liberation Organization”, the “Nusra Front”, carried out terrorist activities as the branch of the “Al-Qaeda” in Syria for a long time before 2016, and was listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, Turkey, the European Union and other countries and international organizations.

In order to obtain external support, the Nusra Front has been constantly merging with other local extremist organizations and reorganizing, forming today’s “Sham Liberation Organization”, hoping to join the future political process in Syria as a “Syrian anti-government armed force”.

The entanglement of the “Sham Liberation Organization” and Turkey

Although the “Sham Liberation Organization” was listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, Turkey allowed the organization to fight alongside its own anti-government armed forces, the so-called “Syrian National Army”, in order to seek its own interests in regional affairs. The organization tacitly allowed the Turkish army to establish an outpost deep into the heart of the Syrian province of Idlib, which it controls.

At the end of February 2020, the Turkish Armed Forces launched a military operation named “Spring Shield” to attack the Syrian Armed Forces and Syrian National Defense Forces in Idlib Province; On March 5 of the same year, Turkish President Erdogan and Russian President Putin issued a statement after their talks in Moscow and reached a regional ceasefire. The “Sham Liberation Organization” took the opportunity to quickly strengthen its control over Idlib Province and has developed to this day.