US confronted with a challenging scenario in Syria as insurgents achieve significant progress
US confronted with a challenging scenario in Syria as insurgents achieve significant progress against Assad’s regime
The unexpected military campaign on Aleppo by Syrian insurgent factions has placed the US in a tough spot, as it cannot fully back either party while still keeping a presence of approximately 1,000 soldiers in Syria aimed at the ongoing battle against ISIS.
Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, the Pentagon’s press spokesperson, on Monday clarified the US's stance regarding the offensive that occurred last week, where rebel entities swiftly seized Aleppo, the second-largest city in Syria, for the first time in years.
The predicament for the US was further highlighted by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who indicated on CNN on Sunday that HTS is “a terrorist organization recognized by the United States. Consequently, we have substantial concerns about the aims and intentions of that entity.”
“Simultaneously, we don’t ignore the fact that the Assad administration, supported by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, is experiencing certain levels of pressure,” Sullivan continued. “It is a complex circumstance. We are closely observing it, and we’re maintaining consistent communication with regional partners regarding it.”
The originator of HTS, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, initially established a different organization, an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria referred to as Jabhat al-Nusra. Despite HTS's attempts to separate itself from al Qaeda, the US labeled the group a terrorist organization in 2018, asserting that it evolved from the initial entity, Jabhat al-Nusrah.
“As you may be aware, they were formerly identified as 'Nusrah Front,' an al Qaeda affiliate in Syria, but fundamentally, they remain a designated terrorist group,” Ryder stated on Monday concerning HTS.
In the meantime, State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller later on Monday declared that the US would not revoke its sanctions against President Bashar al-Assad’s administration, which he claimed has exhibited “no alteration in behavior.” Since 2011, when protests erupted in the nation, the US has imposed increasing sanctions on the regime to halt necessary resources due to the government's violence against civilians and “to pressure the Syrian regime to facilitate a democratic transition as the Syrian populace demands,” as stated by the State Department.
In light of the renewed turmoil in the country, around 900 US military personnel are stationed in Syria as part of the anti-ISIS initiative. Although the actions in Aleppo occur on the opposite side of the nation from where US forces are positioned, the volatility — particularly Russia’s assistance in supporting the Assad administration — has led to communication between the US military and Moscow to avert “miscalculations.”
“Let me be unequivocal that the US is not in any way engaged in the operations occurring in and around Aleppo in northwestern Syria, which, as you are aware, are being directed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a recognized terrorist organization,” he remarked regarding the group known as HTS, emphasizing that the US “is advocating for de-escalation.”
#IsraelHamasWar #IDF #Israelairstrikes #IsraeldestroyingHamasTunnels #Gaza #Hezbollah #IslamicTerrorism #USPresident #Biden #IlonMusk #PMModi #Egypt #Lebanon #IronDome #USTroops #shuksgyan #pmmodi #netanyahu #lebanon #idf #israelarmy #iraniandrone #Houthyterrorists #donaldtrump #republicantrump #uspresidentialimmunity #barackobama #isis #putin #usa #trumpforpresident #joeretardbiden #idf #narendramodi #Trudeau #canadawithkhalistan #trudeauwithkhalistan #sjaishankar #rafah #israeldestroyrafah #israelitanksinrafah #electioncommissionofindia #eci #evm #elonmusk #georgesorostoolkit #kamalaharris #muslimrahulgandhi #islamiccongressparty #katuarahulgandhi #kukiterrorists #meitykilled #christiankukiterrorists #hindumeitytribal #manipur #elonmusk #starlink #jiofibre
Comments