Syria's situation becomes more unpredictable

US "mobilizes troops" in northern Syria?

Northern Syria has been heating up in recent days with clashes between the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and pro-Turkish armed groups. The development that partly highlights the tension is the news that the US is preparing to send forces to the city of Kobani in northern Syria to build a base there. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR, based in the UK), on January 2, the US sent about 50 trucks carrying concrete blocks to the Kobani area. Military vehicles flying the US flag also continuously moved to this city.

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The pro-SDF North Press news agency said that convoys of the US-led international coalition have started the construction of the military base, and will soon deploy soldiers, weapons, radars and air defense systems.

As of yesterday afternoon (Vietnam time), US officials have not commented on the above information, but observers believe that Washington wants to maintain its strategic goals in Syria by supporting its Kurdish allies against pressure from Turkey.

Gunmen loyal to the new Syrian government in Homs city on January 2.

After the overthrow of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Türkiye and pro-Ankara militias have massed forces along the border with Syria and launched attacks with the aim of taking control of Kobani, a city on the Syrian-Turkish border currently controlled by the SDF. The US return to Kobani would help maintain the military balance and prevent Türkiye and its allies from advancing deeper into Syria. The US military withdrew from Kobani in 2019 and Russian forces later took over, but recent political developments in Syria have placed new demands on Washington if it wants to maintain its influence in Syria. The Pentagon said in December 2024 that there are currently 2,000 US troops stationed in Syria, more than double the previous figure of 900.

In a related development, AFP on January 2 quoted SOHR as saying that 23 pro-Turkish fighters and one local armed group linked to the SDF were killed in clashes in Manbij. The SDF said it had repelled attacks by its opponents in the south and east of Manbij, while Turkish forces repeatedly attacked the areas with drones and artillery fire. The new Syrian government has recently asked militia groups in the country to disband and join the national army, but the SDF has demanded direct dialogue and a satisfactory resolution of problems.

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Israel's involvement

In addition to solving the problem of clashes in the north, experts say the new government in Syria needs to pay attention to the moves from Israel, which has so far carried out military actions against Syria. On January 2, Syrian media reported that Israel attacked military facilities in Aleppo, northwestern Syria. Tel Aviv forces have carried out hundreds of attacks on military targets in Syria in the past month, saying this is to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of hostile groups.

Also on January 2, Israel confirmed that it had carried out a raid on a missile factory in Syria on September 8, 2024, when al-Assad was still in power. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it had landed in Syria from helicopters, raided and destroyed the underground factory that Tel Aviv said was funded by Iran to produce weapons for proxy forces.

According to The Jerusalem Post , the remarkable point is how the Israeli army was able to overcome the dense air defenses protecting the weapons facility, located in the city of Masyaf. The Israeli raid involved landing support helicopters and support drones, while the weapons depot in Masyaf is considered the second most heavily guarded place in Syria after the capital Damascus.

It is hypothesized that Israel had previously neutralized Syria’s air defenses, otherwise the operation would have been nearly impossible, but there is no clear confirmation yet. Regardless of the reason, the fact that the Israeli military carried out the raid successfully will more or less make the new Syrian government pay attention to Tel Aviv’s covert operations capabilities.

Russia looking for new garrison to replace Syria?

CNN reported on January 1 that Russian transport planes landed in Libya with a significant increase in frequency in December 2024, especially after the overthrow of the al-Assad regime in Syria. US media said that Moscow intends to establish a garrison to maintain its presence in the Mediterranean, replacing Russian bases in Syria. Russia and Libya have not commented on this information.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/the-cuoc-syria-them-kho-luong-185250103222123757.htm