For a year, Syrian rebels have been planning to overthrow Assad

HTS and its allies began planning to overthrow the Syrian government last year, after a long preparation process in the stronghold of Idlib.

In his first interview with foreign media since the fall of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, Abu Hassan al-Hamwi, head of the military branch of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, recounts how they contacted and built alliances with rebel groups in the south to form a united front with the ultimate goal of besieging Damascus from two directions.

 

Gunmen rebelled in the city of Hama, Syria, on December 5. Image: AFP

He said the plan for the campaign to overthrow President Assad began a year ago, after a long time of HTS doing preparation work and learning from failures against the Syrian government army.

In August 2019, the Syrian government army with fire support from the Russian air force launched a large-scale campaign to attack rebel groups, defeating them in the north and south, reclaiming many important territories. important. The rebel group in southern Syria was forced to accept a “reconciliation agreement” with the government, while HTS was pushed back to Idlib province in northwestern Syria and had to rely on Turkish support to ensure its foothold. foot.

After Türkiye negotiated a ceasefire with the Syrian government on behalf of opposition forces in the spring of 2020, HTS could only operate in a small enclave in Idlib, where they were still planning to overthrow the Syrian government. overthrow President Assad.

“After the defeat in August 2019, all rebel factions realized a serious danger. The basic problem is that we lack unified leadership and the ability to control the battle,” al- Hamwi, 40, who spent five years leading the HTS military branch, said in an interview on December 13 in Jableh, a former stronghold of the Assad regime.

HTS realized that if they wanted to defeat Assad’s government, they needed to bring order to the chaotic coalition of opposition factions, which was heterogeneous and disorganized. They have outlined a strategy towards the goal of building the opposition force into a disciplined fighting army.

They asked other groups to gather under their auspices and when refused, they used force to subdue them. HTS fought Hurras al-Din, an al-Qaeda affiliate, which opposed the pragmatic strategy pursued by HTS. After defeating Hurras al-Din, HTS became the dominant force in northwestern Syria.

As the factions gradually unified politically, al-Hamwi began training members of the groups and developing a comprehensive military doctrine.

“We have studied the Syrian army very carefully, constantly analyzing their tactics and using these insights to develop the force,” he said.

From a heterogeneous group, HTS gradually became a disciplined fighting force, with armed branches, specialized units and security forces established.

HTS also began producing its own weapons, vehicles and ammunition. An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) unit formed, bringing together engineers, mechanics and chemists.

“We took advantage of their knowledge and set a clear goal: We needed UAVs for reconnaissance, attack and suicide, focusing on range and the ability to withstand jamming,” al. -Hamwi said, adding that UAV production began in 2019.

The latest version of the suicide UAV produced by HTS was named “Shahin” by al-Hamwi, which means “falcon” in Arabic, symbolizing their precision and power.

 

Abu Hassan al-Hamwi, head of the military branch of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group. Image: National

The Shahin UAV was first deployed in November, when HTS began its campaign to attack government troops. They were clearly effective when they were able to neutralize Syrian artillery.

HTS conveyed attack plans to rebel groups in the south of the country last year and began advising them on how to establish a united front.

Southern Syria has been under the control of the Assad government since 2018. After the “reconciliation” agreement, rebel groups had to withdraw into underground activities. Much of the military leadership of the opposition in southern Syria has lived in exile in Jordan but maintains contacts inside the country.

Thanks to HTS’s help, a steering committee was established, bringing together commanders from about 25 rebel groups in the south who would coordinate their activities with each other and with HTS in the north. The goal is for HTS and its allies in the north and rebel forces in the south to gather in the capital Damascus.

By the end of November, the group decided it was time to take action.

HTS first wants to prevent regional powers, led by countries like the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia, from normalizing relations with the Assad regime after years of Syrian isolation. diplomatically.

They also want to reduce the intensity of aerial attacks on northwest Syria.

Finally, after realizing that the Assad regime’s international allies were distracted by their own problems, HTS launched its operation, attacking the strategic city of Aleppo on November 29.

Russia, which provides most of the air support, is focusing its resources on the war in Ukraine. Iran and Hezbollah, which provide the Assad regime’s most elite ground forces, are struggling to deal with Israel.

When HTS attacked, Hezbollah militiamen tried to defend Aleppo, Syria’s second largest city, but had to soon retreat.

“We have faith that Damascus cannot fall if Aleppo has not fallen. The strength of the campaign is concentrated in the north and we believe that once we control Aleppo, we can move south, straight towards Damascus,” al-Hamwi said.

After the fall of Aleppo, the rebels’ advance in the north seemed unstoppable. Four days later, they occupied Hama, the country’s fourth largest city, blocking the strategic highway towards Damascus. On December 7, they began their attack on Homs, taking the city within hours.

Abu Hamzeh, leader of the executive committee to liberate Damascus in the south, said that according to the plan, they had to wait until Homs fell to start the uprising, but because they were too excited, they started earlier.

Rebel forces in the south quickly defeated the Syrian army defending the city of Daraa and advanced on Damascus, ahead of HTS.

On December 8, President Assad left the country, the Syrian government collapsed, marking the final victory for the rebels.

Al-Hamwi, a former agricultural engineer, will now be given new responsibilities in the civilian government led by HTS. He admitted that building a new country is not an easy task.

 

Territorial division in Syria. Graphics: ISW, Sky News

Many minority religious groups fear HTS will impose their own teachings and force all to follow.

However, al-Hamwi asserted that “minorities in Syria are part of the nation and have the right to practice religious rituals, education or any other activities like any normal Syrian citizen”.

“The Assad regime has spread fear and we are trying our best to narrow these divisions,” he emphasized.

By Editor

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