The third world war in the Middle East has evolved to a different point with the collapse of the 31 years Baatg regime in Syria on December 8 and its replacement with a regime headed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). Backed by the hegemonic powers, HTS did not face any resistance until it took over Damascus. In recent days, voices of protest against the attacks on different ethnic and religious beliefs, especially Alawites and Christians, have begun to rise, especially in Latakia, Turtus, Hama and Damascus. The use of weapons by HTS against the protests, which resulted in deaths and injuries in many places, negated the efforts of some international states to portray HTS as "moderate". Against this backdrop, many are wondering what kind of negotiations will take place between the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and HTS, and what steps should be taken for a lasting solution. 

 

Journalist Erdoğan Altan spoke to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) about the HTS attack on Aleppo, the takeover of Damascus and the protests that followed, the attacks on the Autonomous Administration and Kurdish national unity. 

 

'HTS DID NOT HAVE THE POWER TO OVERTHROW ASSAD'

 

"HTS did not have the power to overthrow the 61 years regime in such a short time with its own power. The hegemonic powers and especially NATO intervened in the shaping of the new Syria" said Altan and added: "HTS and its 11 organizations are still in the terrorist organizations group of the hegemonic powers and Turkey. There is a quest to remove it, but it has not happened yet. HTS has been preparing for today's events for a long time. HTS leader Colani signaled what is happenin today by appearing in a suit at an international conference in Idlib in the summer. HTS lacks both military and administrative capacity. How did a structure that cannot even manage Idlib enter Damascus? The hegemonic powers came into play here. Even Israel has openly supported it."

 

TWO ROLES GIVEN TO HTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL ARENA 

 

Emphasizing that HTS has been assigned two main roles in the international arena, Altan stated the following about the first role: “HTS will expel Iran and its militias from Syrian territory and eliminate the Baath regime both militarily and politically. In the continuation of the plan, it will remove Russia from Syria and the Mediterranean as a whole. For this purpose, HTS groups have been supported by international powers. For the elimination of the regime, Turkey played a separate role and supported the HTS groups. Western powers provided military and political support to remove Russian forces. In order to dismantle Iran and Iranian affiliated groups, some Israeli militias and arsenals were hit. Other international powers were involved in this plan. For example, France and Germany were fully supportive of this process. As a result, in a short period of time, the first envisaged task was accomplished with the entry of HTS into Damascus and the fall of the Assad regime.” 

 

Underlining that the second most fundamental task and role of HTS is to gather all the radical and jihadist groups of the Middle East and Central Asia under one roof.

 

“First they filled Syria in general, then Idlib and occupying Turkey. After those in Idlib were trained according to the process, they formed an umbrella organization of 11 groups led by al-Nusra and called it HTS. Occupaying Turkey, on the other hand, has not been able to choose a caretaker to ensure full control over the groups under its control. HTS, which settled in Idlib from the Aleppo countryside after the decision taken at the Astana meeting in 2020, prepared and organized itself with the support of some Western powers to be part of this plan. This developing result has developed with long-term preparations,” said Altan.  

 

ATTACKS AGAINST THE AUTONOMOUS ADMINISTRATION

 

Pointing out that with the mobilization of HTS, Turkey and the paramilitary forces it supports simultaneously mobilized against the Autonomous Administration in Nort and East Syria, Altan said: “Since day one, Turkey has been doing everything it can not only against the Autonomous Administration but also to prevent Kurds from having a status anywhere in the world. When HTS took action, Turkey also took action to realize this goal. We saw the crimes against humanity in Shahba and Til Rifaat. People were kidnapped and massacred. These attacks continued with Manbij. They want to occupy Kobanê. But the calculations made in Ankara did not match the realities on the ground. Turkey failed to achieve this goal and got stuck. Turkey wants to achieve some goals before Trump arrives. That is why they are in a hurry. The international coalition has repeatedly stated that they stand with the SDF against ISIS. If there was no resistance in the region, everywhere would have been occupied. If the international coalition is in Kobanê now, it is thanks to the great resistance in Tişrîn and Qaraqozak.” 

 

Referring to the recent protests in Latakia, Tartus, Hama and Damascus in Syria and HTS's attacks against them, Altan said that Assad protects those who accept the system and HTS approaches minorities in the same way. “The weakening of the regime, Iran and Russia by the international powers in the Middle East, the ceasefire in Lebanon and the start of the war with HTS is not a coincidence,” said Altan and added: "The role assigned to HTS under the leadership of Colani will be to liquidate the radical groups that were first filled in Syrian territory and then in the occupied Turkish territories.”

 

Referring to the possible talks between the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria and HTS, Altan said that all forces are currently in a position of observation. Altan stressed that only the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has a draft for a permanent solution in Syria. Altan said Autonomous Administration is in dialog with everyona against the problems.

 

UNITY TALKS SPLIT THE ENKS INTO TWO

 

Stating that there have been many calls and statements on Kurdish national unity recently, Altan continued as follows: "The Autonomous Administration was holding talks with the ENKS before. The talks increased with the fall of the Assd regime. Befor November 26, the ENKS used a different politics and language, but after November 26, it started to use a different language. With Turkey's influence and instructions, ENKS divided into two. ENKS members in Syria are in favor of taking part in the new Syrian government by uniting all Kurdish parties around the Autonomous Administration. But the leaders of the ENKS outside, such as Abdulhakim Basar, are in a different position and speak with the mouth of the Turkish state. The words and practices of ENKS' do not match. Opening representative offices in the occupied territories is incompatible with any Kurdish value. The Autonomous Administration has called on all Kurds to mobilize, not just the ENKS. There have always been calls for meeting to be held for Kurdish national unity. Talks are being held openly. There are calls for all Kurds to come together. This call is not only for Kurds, there are calls for Arabs, Armenians, Assyrians and all other peoples to contribute to this solution."

 

MA / Emrullah Acar