Although a wider insurgent offensive in northwest Syria has made dramatic advances in recent days, it would be a mistake to think of this offensive as marking a wholly new-found insurgent unity. Essentially, as the insurgents advance, they are divided into two operations rooms that will lead to the newly acquired territory being split between the two existing administrative systems for insurgent-held territory.
One of these operations rooms is the ‘Military Operations Administration’ led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), with its operation code-named ‘Deterring the Aggression.’ Whatever this operations room acquires will be governed by the HTS-backed/controlled ‘Salvation Government’. We are already seeing this in Aleppo city with the operation of the bakeries by the Salvation Government, for example. If Hama city falls to the ‘Military Operations Administration’ (very much a real possibility), it too will be governed by the Salvation Government.
As the insurgents advance, they are divided into two operations rooms that will lead to the newly acquired territory being split between the two existing administrative systems for insurgent-held territory.
The other operations room is ‘Dawn of Freedom’ that is led by factions of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA). While it is true that personnel of some SNA factions (e.g. the Shami Front) have also participated in the ‘Military Operations Administration’, they are very much second fiddle to HTS and its closest insurgent allies of the ‘al-Fath al-Mubin’ operations room that was operating in Idlib and its environs prior to this latest insurgent offensive and was led by HTS. The ‘Dawn of Freedom’ operations room is pushing from north Aleppo countryside and took the town of Tel Refaat from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, for example. Whatever it acquires will be governed by institutions tied to the Syrian Interim Government. To an extent, therefore, there is competition between the two operations rooms for acquisition of territory and assets in Aleppo province, given the province’s economic importance.
Earlier today, a statement attributed to ‘Dawn of Freedom’ operations room emerged featuring a condemnation of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham for its conduct. I have been asked about this statement’s authenticity. I can confirm that it is indeed authentic as it came from the operations room’s official social media channel on WhatsApp. What is the reason for the statement? The main reason, as I understand, is that the Sultan Murad Division (an insurgent group of the SNA that is particularly close to Turkey) advanced to the thermal power station east of Aleppo city, but subsequently Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham entered and seized the thermal power station. Below is the statement with my translation.
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful
Syrian National Army
‘Dawn of Freedom’ operations room
Statement of condemnation issued by the factions of the ‘Dawn of Freedom’ operations room
Out of our belief in patriotic and historical responsibility cast on our soulders in this decisive moment of the history of our blessed revolution, and as we realise the size of the great patriotic achievement embodied in routing the separatist gangs and the militias of Iran and the criminal Syrian regime, we in the Dawn of Freedom operations room affirm our commitment to laying aside all causes of disagreement and separation, and unification of ranks in order to realise our highest aim in liberating all of Syria’s land from oppression and tyranny.
In this context, under falsehoods and pretexts, we are accused of impeding the course of the battle to liberate Syria as a result of our committing trivial violations, and we express our strong condemnation of the aggressive conduct of Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham towards the factions of the Syrian National Army. Most recently, they took prisoner a number of soldiers of the Dawn of Freedom operations room, and they have engaged in a policy of domination and monopolisation. We also condemn their liberating of the areas that were liberated by our operations room, in a scene that recalls the regrettable conduct known as ‘liberating the liberated area’, which does not serve the Syrian revolution and its aims.
We in the Dawn of Freedom operations room affirm our commitment to laying aside all causes of disagreement and separation, and unification of ranks in order to realise our highest aim in liberating all of Syria’s land from oppression and tyranny.
This conduct by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham shows the existence of unsound intentions, and adherence to a state of factionalism and consolidating one’s own gains- this is inconsistent with all the claims of unity and laying aside of difference that the Hay’a makes.
Therefore, we call on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham to:
. Stop its aggression against the National Army factions and Dawn of Freedom operations room immediately.
. Restore the areas that were liberated our operations room to their prior status.
. Direct the rifle at the enemies of the Syrian revolution instead of engaging in seizure and monopolisation.
. Adopt the spirit of patriotic responsibility and abandon the policies that threaten the unity of revolutionary ranks.
We urge the factions participating in the Deterring the Aggression operations room to affirm their position on Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s conduct towards their brothers in the Dawn of Freedom operations room.
We also remind everyone of God Almighty’s words: “And do not dispute and thus fail and lose your strength.”
We ask God the Lofty and Power to grant all of us success in what is good for our people and revolution, and protects Syria and its people from every disliked thing.
And God is the guarantor of success, and He is our Lord, and He is an excellent trustee.
Tuesday 3 December 2024
‘Dawn of Freedom’ Operations Room
Documents referenced in this article may be found in the original Substack version.
