The Syrian rebel offensive called “Deterrence of Aggression” led mainly by the Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its commander Abu Mohammad al-Jolani is progressing further with more territory captured from the government in the south of Syria after government forces retreated from Daraa. Senior government officials have already been photographed on planes to Dubai including Assad’s chief propogandist Shadi Helwa.
Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad is rumoured to have fled to the United Arab Emirates but these reports have not yet been confirmed. His brother, Brigadier General Maher al-Assad, is using a Facebook account to post about the Syrian Army’s activities and is giving the impression that he is coordinating the Syrian Army’s activities from Syria.
Bashar al-Assad has asked for weapons and intelligence from Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Iran but his request was rejected. Russia does not seem to be making any moves to try and save Assad’s regime and some of its ships in the port of Tartus have already left. Russia has also issued an announcements to its diplomats and staff in Syria to leave the country immediately. On the other hand, there were reports that Hezbollah fighters from Lebanon have returned to Syria to support the government’s forces.
Meanwhile, Assad’s army has completely abandoned the Syrian desert where government installations are now being taken over by ISIS sleeper cells. Kurdish forces from the north are advancing in the Syrian desert and have captured Deir Ezzor and several border posts. The United States has used a B-52 to bomb ISIS militants that are now active in the desert. The Turkish backed Syrian National Army are fighting the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces in Manbij.
As Syrian rebels make rapid advances, it is becoming increasingly unlikely that Assad’s regime will survive. Members of the Syrian Army are also defecting en masse and there is already public talk by Assad’s government cronies who are talking about national reconciliation and forgetting the horrors of the Syrian war: a type of discourse that used to contrast with the intransigent government’s authoritarian position that justified war crimes and massacres.
Newsroom
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