Ukrainian-trained, Turkish-sponsored Syrian rebels lead an attack on Aleppo

The offensive entered Syria The rule in Aleppo that began on November 27 is led by a coalition of Islamist militant groups led by the Turkish-backed al-Qaeda-linked group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

According to reports on some Islamist social networking sites, rebel groups based in the Idlib region – which reportedly include members of the Turkestan Islamic Party (TIP) – have received operational training conducted by special forces soldiers from the Khimik group of the Ukrainian Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR). The training team focused on tactics developed during the war in Ukraine, including the use of drones.

HUR’s Khimik group is credited with attacking a Russian military base on the southeastern outskirts of Aleppo

September 15. It has been suggested that these Ukrainian special forces advisers are providing support to current opposition attacks, but there has been no independent verification of any such involvement.

The suggestion of Ukrainian involvement could be seen as part of a broader trend of Kiev forces targeting Russian forces abroad, including alleged direct support for the July 26 attack by Islamist militias on Russia’s Wagner Group mercenaries and government forces in Mali.

The head of HUR, Major General Kyrylo Budanov, said in an interview in May 2023 after reports of Ukrainian forces operating against Russian contractors abroad: “We will kill Russians everywhere and everywhere until Ukraine has a complete victory.”

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Details of the plan have not yet been officially confirmed or discussed publicly by Trump’s team or U.S. officials.

Recent reports of a large portion of Russian forces in Syria intended to reinforce Moscow’s troops fighting in Ukraine appear to be encouraging a rebel offensive. It says the offensive has so far captured more than 20 villages and other small settlements in the wider Aleppo region, posting more footage of captured Syrian and Russian military equipment.

On Wednesday, several regional sources said that as the offensive began, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters on the outskirts of Aleppo ambushed and killed a group of Russian special forces. While no exact details of the incident were provided, the claims were supported by photos of a damaged Russian tactical vehicle, bodies in Russian uniforms and body armor, and a display of captured silenced assault rifles popular with Moscow’s elite forces.

On Saturday evening, mainstream Western media reported that Syrian government forces were surprised by the speed of the rebel attack that reached central Aleppo. It was met with little resistance as both Syrian and Russian forces made a “tactical withdrawal in preparation for a counteroffensive.”

At the same time, it was reported that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) opposition group attacked the city of Aleppo from the east and took control of the international airport after regime forces abandoned it.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported that at least 40 civilians in Aleppo were killed or injured by Russian aircraft attacks on the city. This had little effect on the progress and morale of rebel forces, which began tearing down Syrian flags and posters supporting the Assad regime.

Reuters reported late Saturday evening that Russia is preparing to transfer additional military equipment to Syria in the coming days, including Su-34 fighters, largely coming from forces stationed in western Russia supporting the so-called special military operation in Ukraine.