Operation Dawn of Freedom
Renewed fighting between regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on November 27 in rural areas west of the major city of Aleppo. By November 30, opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city centre and established dominance across the Idlib province. The Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) announced 29 November 2024 the launch of Operation Dawn of Freedom against the Kurdish group PKK/YPG in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside. It also targeting Assad regime forces and Iranian militias in the northern and eastern countryside of Aleppo. After HTS attacked the Syrian regime several days earlier, the Syrian forces collapsed. Ankara, seeing this collapse, decided to unleash militias it backs to attack Kurdish civilians and ethnically-cleanse them, forcing tens of thousands of people to flee.
Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Oncu Kiçli said that his country “closely follows the developments that lead to tensions, which could be exploited by fighters (referring to the Kurds) present in the Manbij and Tal Rifaat regions,” stressing that the Astana agreements “provide for the region to be cleansed of terrorists, which the Astana sponsors have not implemented, which doubles our concerns.”
For his part, Abdul Qadir Silvi, a writer for the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet, said that “the attacks on Idlib continued, forcing Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham to respond, and the Kurdistan Workers’ Party did not withdraw from the eastern Euphrates for a distance of 32 kilometers, and the United States did not fulfill its pledges,” stressing that “Turkey’s priority is to fight terrorism. It will not allow terrorist groups in Manbij and Tal Rifaat to benefit from the instability.”
Observers believe that the armed opposition is working with its rapid and sudden advance to control areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces in a way that ultimately serves Ankara's interests to complete the "safe belt" in the northern border strip during the current transitional period between the administrations of Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump, and Moscow and Damascus' preoccupation with repelling the surprise attack on Aleppo and then Hama.
The Syrian National Army factions - which was formed from what was known as the Free Syrian Army, and includes a number of Syrian rebel factions, and is affiliated with the interim government formed by the Syrian opposition coalition - moved and launched Operation “Dawn of Freedom,” which aimed to regain control of the area extending from Sheikh Najjar, northeast of Aleppo, to the towns of Ain Issa, Tal Rifaat, and Menagh. All of these areas were entered by the Kurdish Protection Units in February 2016 under the cover of Russian air power at the time.
The attacking forces were able to control this area, limiting the units’ deployment to the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh neighborhoods inside Aleppo city, in addition to some deployment inside the Infantry School in the Muslimiya area, after the “Fajr al-Hurriya” forces met with the “Deterrence of Aggression” factions - which communicate and coordinate operations between them - inside Aleppo, and imposed a siege on the two aforementioned neighborhoods.
This military campaign, part of wider revolutionary efforts in northern Syria, aims to liberate occupied territories, protect civilians, and restore the rights of displaced Syrians to return to their homes. [In the game "1989: Dawn of Freedom", players will recreate the momentous revolutions of 1989, using a system similar to the award-winning boardgame Twilight Struggle by GMT Games.]
The operation began with attacks near the town of Tadif, located east of Aleppo and adjacent to the city of Al-Bab. According to military sources, SNA forces achieved partial advances against regime positions, capturing at least two regime fighters and seizing weapons. Villages such as Toman, Al-Madajen, and Al-Shamawiya have already been liberated in the initial phase of the operation, marking significant progress in the campaign. According to local sources, the SNA liberated Kweris Military Airport, Regiment 111, the Air Academy, Kweris Training Airport, and the Officers’ Housing in eastern Aleppo, along with the Aleppo-Raqqa highway.
After the "Deterrence of Aggression" factions entered Aleppo, which is described as the economic capital, other armed factions launched an attack from the eastern side of the city, and placed it within the scope of the "Dawn of Freedom" slogan.
The factions of the "Fajr al-Hurriya" operations room are affiliated with the "Syrian National Army" coalition, supported by Türkiye. The operations room includes the following factions: “Sultan Murad Division,” “Sultan Suleiman Shah Division,” “Hamza Division,” “Jaysh al-Islam,” and “al-Jabha al-Shamiya” factions. In an official statement, the SNA outlined the objectives of Operation Dawn of Freedom. The operation seeks to liberate areas occupied by Assad regime forces and Iranian militias, ensuring the safety and freedom of civilians in reclaimed territories. The statement emphasized the importance of restoring the rights of displaced Syrians, allowing them to return to their homes and live dignified lives free from oppression and crime. The operation also aims to counter repeated attacks by regime forces on liberated areas, which have threatened the safety of civilians.
The campaign came amid heightened tensions between the SNA, the Assad regime, and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), an entity aligned with the PKK. Recent reports indicate that the SDF has collaborated with Assad’s forces, moving into strategic areas in the Aleppo countryside, including Aleppo International Airport, Sheikh Najjar, Deir Hafer, Al-Safira, and Maskana. This cooperation, which has also extended to towns such as Nubl and Al-Zahraa, appears designed to prevent revolutionary forces from advancing further and to fill the vacuum left by regime withdrawals.
Field sources confirmed that the SDF’s moves are part of an undeclared agreement with the Assad regime to strengthen their hold over key locations and counter-revolutionary advances. These developments have sparked outrage among some who view the actions as a betrayal of the Syrian revolution and an effort to suppress the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people.
The countryside around Tadif and Al-Bab, where Operation Dawn of Freedom is focused, holds significant strategic value. These areas have long been contested, with Assad regime forces, Iranian militias, and the SDF vying for control. Securing these territories would bolster the revolutionary forces’ position in northern Syria, disrupt regime supply lines, and curb SDF efforts to expand their influence.
Operation Dawn of Freedom also reflected a commitment to addressing the humanitarian crisis in northern Syria. SNA officials have pledged to ensure the safety of civilians in targeted areas and to minimize harm during the military campaign. The operation aims to provide displaced Syrians with the opportunity to return to their homes, rebuilding their lives in freedom and dignity.
This new phase of revolutionary action demonstrates the challenges faced by the Assad regime, which has become increasingly reliant on Russian and Iranian support to maintain its hold over key territories. With revolutionary forces gaining momentum in northern Syria, the dynamics of the conflict are shifting, posing significant challenges to the regime’s long-term strategy.
As clashes continue in Tadif and other contested areas, the success of Operation Dawn of Freedom will have far-reaching implications for the future of northern Syria. Revolutionary forces remained committed to their objectives, undeterred by the obstacles posed by Assad regime forces, Iranian militias, and the SDF. The coming days are likely to see further developments as the operation progresses, reshaping the balance of power in the region.
Director of the Syrian Observatory: Operation “Dawn of Freedom” has nothing to do with freedom and was not against the regime, but rather to cut off the route of supplies to the Kurdish forces stationed in Tal Rifaat and the northern countryside of Aleppo.
About 200,000 Kurdish citizens, most of whom were displaced from Afrin, are besieged in the northern countryside of Aleppo by the factions loyal to Turkey.. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham did not commit any violations against the residents, regardless of their religions and sects.
Turkish-backed militants known as the Syrian National Army (SNA) continued their operations against areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces around the city of Manbij for the second consecutive day on 07 December 2024. This morning, Jaish al-Watani militants stormed the village of “Andabat” near the Al-Sajur crossing. After resistance from SDF forces, Jaish al-Watani militants retreated from the area. The Turkish army carried out at least 20 drone attacks on SDF positions on the Deir ez-Zor axis and the Tabqa-Aleppo road. According to local sources, Turkish drones are constantly present over areas controlled by the Syrian Democratic Forces and provide the militants with the information they collect.
Continuing their efforts to advance on the Manbij axis, Jaish al-Watani militants attempted to infiltrate the villages of Jabal al-Hamra, al-Houtah, Tal Turin, and Jeb Makhzoum west of al-Uraima a few hours ago, but this attack was repelled by the resistance of the SDF forces. Turkish-backed militants also attacked the Tal Aswad area south of Manbij and intended to advance on this axis. According to the latest surveys, no significant changes have occurred in the areas controlled by the parties, and clashes on the fronts around Manbij are still ongoing.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed Türkiye's hopes for neighbouring Syria to achieve the peace and tranquillity it has sought for 13 years, stressing that Türkiye does not have eyes "even on a pebble of any country." Increasing attacks on civilians in Syria's Idlib appear to be the "last straw" that triggered the recent incidents, Erdogan said in his address to Türkiye's AK Party Gaziantep 8th Ordinary Provincial Congress. He underlined that there is a new political and diplomatic reality in Syria, which Ankara cannot ignore as it shares a 910-kilometer (565-mile) border with the conflict-torn nation.
"Syria belongs to Syrians, with all its ethnic, sectarian, and religious components," he added, also warning of an increasing threat from the PKK terrorist organisation, which desires to abuse the power vacuum created by fresh conflicts to advance its interests in Syria. He once again underlined that Türkiye will not tolerate any move jeopardising its national security. President Erdogan further underscored that the Damascus regime failed to comprehend the significance of the hand that Türkiye had extended and what it meant.
Türkiye wanted to see a Syria where different identities live side by side peacefully and hopes to see that vision take shape "in the very near future," Erdogan added during his address. He stressed that it would be best for the region if all responsible actors, including international organisations, backed Syria's territorial integrity.
The opposition Syrian National Army (SNA) had taken control of 80% of the northern Syrian district of Manbij as part of Operation Dawn of Freedom, targeting the PKK/YPG terror group, security sources reported 08 December 2024. The SNA, advancing through the northern and western parts of Manbij, continues to clash with PKK/YPG fighters, who had occupied the area since 2016. The district’s population is overwhelmingly Arab.
Despite the promises of the US and Russia, the PKK/YPG fighters had seized the Manbij district as a result of an attack launched with the support of the US between May and August 2016. The US had promised Türkiye that the PKK/YPG fighters would leave the district after the district was cleared of the Daesh/ISIS fighters, but it did not fulfill this promise. Moscow also undertook to remove the terrorist organization from Manbij in an agreement reached with Ankara during Türkiye Operation Peace Spring in October 2019 and announced that the fighters had left, but the terrorist organization did not leave.
Turkiye claimed the Manbij region was of central importance in the PKK/YPG's plan to open a "terror corridor" starting from the Syria-Iraq border and reaching the Mediterranean in western Syria. Türkiye had dealt a blow to preparations to establish a direct connection between Afrin-Tel Rifaat and Manbij with Operation Euphrates Shield in August 2016.
Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), has proposed the creation of a "demilitarized zone" in Kobani, a town on the Syrian-Turkish border, under US supervision. "The Turks have their own territorial ambitions in Syria, and so I don't expect that they would welcome or approve such a plan," political and security analyst Ali Rizk told Sputnik 18 Decembe 2024.
Abdi's proposal comes amid the Biden administration's efforts to maintain a ceasefire brokered last week between the SDF and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army in northern Syria. US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said a truce in the northern Syrian town of Manbij was extended on Tuesday until the end of the week. The fate of Kobani, a Kurdish-majority city, hangs in the balance as the SDF braces for a possible Turkish offensive. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan signaled on December 13 that Ankara's strategic goal was to eliminate Kurdish militias.
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