04-12-2024 Situation update
HTS and Hama offensive
– HTS continue their operation to capture the city of Hama. Their advance had been slow and is facing heavy resistance from the counter offensive of the SAA. Heavy clashes in the northern outskirts of the city are taking place, as HTS forces advance east and west of Hama encircling the city while starting the assault on the north. SAA just started to use planes to bomb position of HTS advance.
– Military equipment and weapons captured by HTS are already being used in the clashes against the SAA. This includes tanks and other combat vehicles. Some planes (in rather poor condition, but still) have also been captured, as well as radars and other advanced components of the S300 and S400 (rusian made anti-aircraft systems). Numbers of weapons seized is difficult to estimate, as regime soldiers left behind full warehouses and military barracks.
# Shehba, Manbij and Tabqa
– The evacuation of the Shehba region continues. Today, several buses crossed from Til Rifat to the region of Manbij. The overall situation with regard to the transport of refugees is very hard, and it is hampered by raids from SNA and by Turkey’s continued shelling of supposedly safe areas (a number of villages in the cantons of Manbij and Tabqa were shelled today). More than 100.000 people is arriving to the areas of Manbij and Tabqa, with several institutions of the self-administration working to provide shelter and provisions. RIC published an explainer about the situation of this huanitarian crisis: https://rojavainformationcenter.org/2024/12/explainer-thousands-of-civilians-driven-out-of-shehba/
– Clashes in Manbij and Tabqa areas are getting more intense. SDF (Military Councils of Manbij and Tabqa, MMC TMC) repelled several attacks, killing and injuring fighters of SNA. Some sources suggested that SDF was advancing in an offensive towards Aleppo, but official statement of SDF denied such claims stating they are just defending their territories.
# Turkish and Russian Movments
– Videos of Turkish army vehicles entering Syria from Azaz, norh-west of Aleppo, spread in social media. Besides the constant attacks of UAVs (Unmaned Aerial Vehicles, military grade drones), this is Turkey’s first direct escalation in the ongoing situation. Direct intervention of Turkish Army may come with use of military planes like F-16, jets that Turkey has been using to bomb kurdish forces in Syria since the invasion of Afrin. Those NATO planes may be used to support not only SNA but also HTS, risking direct confrontation with Russian air force. Such escenario is at the moment especulation, but the stakes are high.
– Russia is moving their advanced navy from the port of Tartus, probably fearing attacks from the HTS, but also as a mechanism of deterrance. This is the only Russian naval base in the mediterranean sea, confering it very high strategical value. Today the air defenses next to that base shot down some drone attack.
# HTS media strategy
– The leader of HTS Abu Muhammad al-Julani made a public statement from outskirts of Aleppo calling locals not to leave their homes and the region, promissing protection from the Assad regime. Unlike other ilsamist leaders, al-Julani is playing a public and mediatic role, selling an image of moderate islam portraying HTS as liberators for the western public. Displaying such a public role while HTS is listed as a terrorist organization is a bold indicator of how much confidance they have, probably from pre-made agreements and promissed support of external forces.
# Rojava solidarity
– After a general call for mobilization, young revolutionaries all around Rojava had been recording and publishing statements showing their commitment to fight and defend their land, joining the ranks of SDF as popular militias of self defense. They call for a revolutionary people’s war against those who attack the revolution.
– Many different organizations and groups in several countries shared solidarity statements and organized demonstrations to support and defend Rojava in these difficult times. From here we also want to thank you all for those beautiful expressions of international solidarity!
Revolutionary greetings!