Syrian rebels topple Assad in bold, year-long operation

Abu Hasan al-Hamwi, the commander of the largest opposition group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), discussed behind-the-scenes details in an interview with the British newspaper "The Guardian."

According to Hamwi, plans to take action against Assad had existed for years, but it was at the end of November, after a year of intensive preparations, that the decision was made to commence the operation codenamed "Deterring Aggression."

The success of the operation hinged on uniting the various rebel groups operating in Syria, which, as he noted, was a significant challenge due to a lack of common leadership.

They established an operations center where commanders of about 25 groups from the south could coordinate the actions of fighters and collaborate with HTS located in the north of the country.

After forming the coalition led by HTS, the focus was on training the rebels and developing a military strategy based on an analysis of the enemy’s tactics. Hamwi emphasized that thoroughly studying the enemy's art of warfare enabled them to develop effective combat methods.

Diverse rebel groups, previously chaotic, gradually transformed into a well-organized military formation. HTS also took care of producing their own weapons and ammunition.

Hamwi noted that they fell short in military resources compared to Assad, who could rely on the support of Russia and Iran. Faced with limited resources, they established a unit specializing in drone operations, involving engineers and scientists in constructing equipment used in reconnaissance and combat missions.

He emphasized that focusing on the development of reconnaissance and combat drones and intensifying their production since 2019 contributed to the success of the operation.

After an eleven-day offensive, the coalition led by HTS prompted the fall of Assad's government, which retreated to Russia with his family. Meanwhile, Mohammad al-Bashir was appointed the interim prime minister.