White House puts pressure on Turkey to restrain Syrian rebels

The US noted that President Bashar al-Assad's "regime" has been part of an ongoing refusal to "engage in a political process," which has "created the conditions now unfolding."

By JERUSALEM POST STAFF DECEMBER 3, 2024 08:57 Updated: DECEMBER 3, 2024 09:03

A Syrian rebel holds his weapon as he stands near Nubl's city in Nubl, north of Aleppo, Syria December 2, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/MAHMOUD HASSANO)

The Biden administration asked that Turkey restrain the actions of the rebel groups in Syria to which it is providing aid, KAN News reported on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter. 

The report noted that this was expressed in a phone call between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Turkish counterpart, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. 

Earlier this week, the US noted regarding the situation in Syria that President Bashar al-Assad's "regime" has been part of an ongoing refusal to "engage in a political process," which has "created the conditions now unfolding."

The White House statement also added that the attack was a result of the Assad regime's reliance on Russia and Iran. 

The SNA

One of the groups, the Syrian National Army (SNA), is backed by Turkey, which positions it in areas it has invaded in northern Syria.

Rebels led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham drive along a street in al-Rashideen, Aleppo province, Syria November 29, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Mahmoud Hasano)

Videos published earlier this week showed SNA militias attacking Kurds. 

On November 29, Syrian rebels, led by the independent Islamist Jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), entered Aleppo, capturing significant portions of the city and forcing Syrian troops to redeploy. 

Assad's regime subsequently fled the city, enabling the rebels to gain more ground. 

Seth J. Frantzman contributed to this report.