Turkey Syria - News & Updates
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Assad ran away like a dog in the night,” said one person familiar with Assad’s exit from Damascus. “He was telling people around him up to an hour before he fled that everything was going to be OK.”
Assad did not even bother warning relatives — including cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews, as well as his wife’s family — who were left to fend for themselves as the rebels marched on Damascus.
Not until he was outside Damascus did Assad tell his army to fold, giving them orders to burn down offices and documents, according to a member of the rebel military council and a person with knowledge of the events.
— FT
Assad did not even bother warning relatives — including cousins, siblings, nieces and nephews, as well as his wife’s family — who were left to fend for themselves as the rebels marched on Damascus.
Not until he was outside Damascus did Assad tell his army to fold, giving them orders to burn down offices and documents, according to a member of the rebel military council and a person with knowledge of the events.
— FT
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hyperman
INT'L MOD
Professor: Why weren't you in my Poli Sci class for the last two weeks
bro: I was busy trying to manage a country. lol
Foinikas
Elite Member
Look how destroyed Syria is now, building Malls for shopping.
Yeah look at the money coming from Saudi Arabia,Qatar,Turkey and other sources. Broke Syrian rebels already building stuff.
UKBengali
Elite Member
Technically the plane could still fly over Syria as they do not have any air defences that could reach the cruising altitude of a jet liner.
EugeneP
Trusted Member
I don't think an IATA or ICAO registered civilian flight can fly rogue corridors. Besides, they may need Air traffic control or emergency services if something happens.
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NEW/IMPORTANT — The Washington Post has published new details about the opposition operation that toppled the Assad regime.
According to HTS member Musa Elesad, HTS had been preparing for “a counter-attack that would change the balance of power on the ground” for four years. HTS presented its plan to Turkey at the beginning of the year and Ankara did not give the green light, but approved the plan in principle. In October, this plan slowly began to take shape and come to light; HTS members wanted to take action as soon as possible and reach Damascus. HTS was closely following developments in Lebanon and assessed that Israel's attack there would lead to the withdrawal of Assad's ally Hezbollah fighters from northern Syria. Elesad said that Turkey first tried to prevent the conflict; a Turkish official said that Turkey tried to protect the Idlib de-escalation zone until the last moment. The Astana talks on 11 November were a turning point. According to the Turkish official, Ankara warned the Syrian regime and Russia at the meeting and said that the current situation could no longer be sustained. Turkish official: “Turkey warned the regime and its supporters; they were told that they would face a strong response from the opposition if they continued to attack civilians and civilian infrastructure in Idlib.” After the Astana meeting, Turkey gave the green light to the operation and asked the opposition to implement their plans. With the declaration of a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah on November 26, HTS became concerned that Hezbollah fighters would return to the Syrian fronts and so took action the next day. HTS's operation actually started with a modest goal of just capturing Aleppo, but their advances surprised even HTS, and after Aleppo, something that had never been thought possible suddenly began to seem possible; the opposition advanced south. According to Western officials, Russia was in constant contact with Turkey and was trying to understand what HTS' plans were as it began to advance south. According to Western officials, Turkish officials emphasized certain points in these contacts with Russia; it was stated that supporting Assad was now futile and that bombing HTS would only make Syria's future leaders hostile to Russia. Two days before Assad fled Syria, some of his Arab allies still thought he could remain in office. Assad's allies began to call Turkey with concern and talk about the concessions Assad could make, and how he could stop the opposition's operations. But according to a Turkish official, the next day they realized that Assad was finished and postponed an Arab League meeting to discuss the situation. Assad has recently angered Tehran by trying to reduce Iran's influence in Syria. When he finally asked for military support from Tehran, it was too late because the support lines had been cut off.Iran has begun evacuating its soldiers and diplomats.
According to an Assad family member and a Russian diplomat, Russia, Iran and the Assad regime waited for President Erdoğan to pause the operation for talks after the capture of Aleppo. However, there was no pause and, according to the Russian official, Erdoğan “surprised” Russia, Iran and the regime; Erdoğan made a statement of support for the operation and said that the target was Damascus. According to a US official, all opposition groups agreed on a common operational plan and everyone sent their fighters. The fiercest fighting took place at the first line of defence outside Aleppo; “We lost our best fighters in the first phase,” HTS commander Abu Abdulrahman told reporters. However, according to the commander, after the first link was crossed, regime forces began to flee and every part of Aleppo began to fall one by one and be easily captured. With the fall of Aleppo and its surroundings, the opposition tried to contact Assad's family members and get them to leave the regime ranks. According to HTS fighter Abu Ziad, after the capture of Aleppo, Russian airstrikes decreased further and a smooth advance southwards was achieved. According to a family member of Assad, there was resistance on Mount Zeinel Abideen in Hama and some regime soldiers refused to surrender, causing confusion as the army was ordered to withdraw. However, Hama fell along with the mountain and the opposition began to advance towards Homs. Ahmed al-Dalati, one of the commanders of Ahrar al-Sham, said that they knew the regime was tired, but they did not expect the regime army to collapse so quickly. According to documents seized in Damascus, regime prisons were full of deserters from the army and there were thick files recording those killed in the clashes. HTS commander Abu Abdulrahman: “When we arrived in Homs, it was a surprise to see the regime fleeing to Damascus.” The regime troops in Damascus were in a state of disarray; the police were instructed to stay in their headquarters and hold the front, but then new instructions came; they were told to flee. But no one was waiting for instructions anyway; the police had left their uniforms, put on civilian clothes, and gone home. A police officer said, "We had already gone home, it was obvious what was about to happen." Until 48 hours before Damascus fell, Assad, his family and senior Syrian officials were acting as if nothing was wrong. According to a person who provided contact between the regime, Western and Arab governments, everyone expected that everything was normal, that this was a strategic agreement between Turkey and Russia, and that Russia and Iran would eventually come to their support. While Assad was telling everyone that there was no problem, he was already preparing to escape without even telling his family. Assad's brother, Maher Assad, was surprised when the General Staff ordered the soldiers to lay down their arms, because he thought the previous withdrawals were to prepare for the battle in the capital. Regarding the withdrawal orders, Maher Assad said, “Do not obey the orders,” but received the response, “It is too late, we have already obeyed.” The general in charge of security at Assad's palace came to the region, saying, "I will not leave Assad alone," but Assad had already fled. Assad's nephews learned that Assad had escaped while they were with their guards; no one knew that the regime leader had left the country. A relative of Assad: “Everyone feels they have been betrayed by Assad.”- Opposition fighters and commanders | Western, Turkish and Russian diplomats | Assad family members | Regional sources -
Oublious
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EugeneP
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hyperman
INT'L MOD
Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon.
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