Syria remains a complex and volatile region, with multiple actors vying for influence and power. Syria Today highlights three key developments: Ukraine’s special forces have launched a devastating strike on a Russian base in Syria, targeting military equipment and mercenaries; Turkey’s embrace of Syrian groups accused of grave crimes raises concerns about human rights abuses; and the Syrian regime is reshuffling its economic leadership to maintain control and adapt to the war economy, replacing old elites with new figures loyal to the regime.
Ukrainian HUR Special Forces Deliver Strike on Russian Base in Syria
Kyiv Post has obtained several exclusive videos and photos showing the continuation of a special operation by the Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) units to degrade Russian military assets in Syria.
According to Kyiv Post sources within the intelligence agency, the Khimik group carried out another complex strike against the positions of the Russian forces in Syria at the end of July 2024.
The target of the attack was Russian military equipment at the Kuweires airbase, which is located east of Aleppo and occupied by Russian forces.
The released videos purports to show key moments of the attack: first, a Russian mobile EW complex is destroyed, followed by drones attacking Russian military objects at the airbase itself. The strike was reportedly carried out the day after a meeting in the Kremlin between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday, July 24.
The Kuweires airbase has been controlled and used by the Russians for military purposes since 2015.
Ukrainian intelligence tells Kyiv Post that the base was also used for training and transporting foreign mercenaries to the war in Ukraine.
Turkey’s Troubling Embrace of Syrian Groups Accused of Grave Crimes
Human Rights Watch reported that Photos on social media picked up in the Turkish media on July 17 featured a warm welcome in Turkey for two faction leaders of the Syrian National Army (SNA), a loose coalition of armed opposition groups Turkey sponsors in areas of northern Syria it occupies.
In one photo, the two leaders are welcomed by Devlet Bahçeli, leader of Turkey’s Nationalist Movement Party (Milliyetçi Hareket Partisi, MHP), the main coalition partner supporting President Erdoğan’s government, and in another they are posing with a convicted Turkish mafia leader. The photos are a stark reminder of Turkey’s failure to rein in abuses by groups it supports.
Bahçeli and Alaettin Cakici, the convicted mafia boss, separately met with commanders Saif Abu Bakr and Mohammad al-Jassem, who have both been accused by the United States of perpetrating and overseeing egregious abuses by their respective factions, the Hamzat Division and the Sultan Suleiman Shah Brigade. The abuses include unlawful killings, abductions, torture, extortion, sexual violence, and property seizures.
They and their factions are both subject to US sanctions and al-Jassem, also known as Abu Amsha, was even investigated by a coalition of SNA factions in December 2021. The coalition said he was responsible for crimes against civilians, including threats, intimidation, assault, and robbery. Both men continue to lead their factions undisturbed, as do others accused of abuses. And areas of northern Syria under their control remain lawless and insecure.
Syrian Regime Changes Economic Façade
Enab Baladi published a report explaining how the Syrian regime has undergone significant changes in its economic leadership over the past 13 years, replacing prominent figures with new ones loyal to the regime in an effort to maintain control and adapt to the war economy.
The report says that over the past 13 years of the Syrian revolution, the features of the Syrian economy have changed dramatically due to the political climate and the regime’s military-security approach. This period saw the decline of the local currency, a sharp increase in prices, and the collapse of the economic sector, with thousands of establishments and factories closing in both the public and private sectors.
The Syrian regime has responded to these changes by replacing prominent figures in the economic scene with new ones who serve the regime’s interests. Several notable figures have disappeared from the economic front for various reasons this year. Among them was businessman Baraa Qaterji, reportedly killed in an Israeli airstrike, and Khodr Taher, who was arrested by the regime. Additionally, Bashar al-Assad’s economic advisor Yassar Ibrahim was severely poisoned, and Asma al-Assad announced her withdrawal from public activities due to her leukemia treatment.
According to the report, these shifts are part of a broader strategy by the regime to maintain control over the economy by utilizing new faces. The disappearance of old elites like Rami Makhlouf, replaced by figures loyal to the regime, marks a significant transformation. These changes have implications for the economic and political landscape, with new players emerging to fill the void left by their predecessors.
Experts suggest that the regime’s strategy is driven by the need to circumvent international sanctions and secure essential goods and financial flows. The new economic elite, which includes war profiteers and regime loyalists, has taken over key economic roles previously held by the old elite. This transformation reflects the regime’s efforts to adapt to the war economy and maintain its power.
The report said that replacement of key economic figures is seen as a response to internal factional struggles and external pressures, including the Russo-Iranian competition in Syria. This reshuffling aims to ensure loyalty and prepare for potential regional and international engagements.
Despite these changes, the core economic practices of the regime, including crony capitalism, remain intact. The regime’s ability to replace and control economic figures ensures the continuity of its economic priorities, even as individual names change.
The article concludes that while the disappearance of certain figures may cause temporary disruptions, it will not significantly impact the regime’s overall economic strategy. The regime continues to attract new loyalists willing to serve its interests, ensuring the perpetuation of its economic model.
