The expert and strategic analyst, Colonel Abdul Jabbar Al-Aqidi, revealed the importance of the areas controlled by the Syrian opposition factions on the fighting axes in the city of Aleppo and its countryside, during the ongoing battles against the regime forces and the Iranian militias supporting them.
Al-Aqidi explained in an exclusive interview with “Arabi 21” that the opposition fighters benefited greatly from the period of stagnation on the battle fronts during the past five years. With the aim of developing their military capabilities, considering that the regime forces will not be able to withstand them without Russian air intervention.
The military operation launched by the opposition under the effort of “deterring aggression” extended to the city of Aleppo, after two days of fighting in its western and southern countryside, in addition to the ongoing fighting on the axis of the eastern Idlib countryside.
The opposition said, in a statement about the developments of the third day of battles: Its fighters began to enter the city of Aleppo, after extending their control over the Scientific Research area on the western outskirts of the city of Aleppo.
Below is the full text of the interview with Colonel Abdul-Jabbar Al-Akidi about the current military scene:
◼ The opposition factions were able to achieve significant progress during the past two days. Do you think that this progress was taken into account by the factions when planning the battle?
I do not expect that they expected the attack to have such great momentum and such a rapid collapse of the regime forces. Certainly the Military Operations Department had drawn up a solid plan. It is clear that there is professional military tactics, expertise, and benefit from previous experiences.
However, I do not expect that they expected the liberation to be so rapid, or for the collapse of the regime forces and Iranian militias to be so great.
◼ How do you describe the current military scene after two days of fierce battles?
The military scene is really good for the revolutionary factions; There is rapid progress and secrecy in the work, and there is also benefit from military technology and drones.
There is also local manufacturing, which includes the manufacture of personnel carriers, armored vehicles, ammunition, and some missiles. Therefore, the military scene is good, and it is clear that morale is high among the factions.
◼ How do you evaluate the military performance of the opposition, the Syrian regime forces, and the Iranian militias loyal to it?
As for evaluating the performance of the revolutionary factions militarily, their performance is professional and good, and indicates the existence of prior planning and organization for the operation. There is also good military leadership.
On the other hand, there is a collapse of the Iranian militias and the Syrian regime forces, despite their prior knowledge of the existence of prior military action, as there has been talk of military action in the region for at least two months.
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It is clear that the regime forces and Iranian militias are unable to withstand at all without air cover from Russia.
◼ What is new in these battles in terms of military capabilities and skills, since this campaign comes after years of inactivity on the fronts?
The factions of the revolution benefited from this period of inactivity, as I described it. There was a period of stagnation on the fronts during the past four or five years, and the revolutionary factions took advantage of it in training and qualifying specialized cadres, and this was clear in the course of the current battle.
◼ What is the importance of the villages and towns that the opposition factions took control of during this military campaign?
The villages and towns over which the revolutionary factions took control are very important, as the western Aleppo countryside was completely liberated, and vast areas of the southern Aleppo countryside were liberated. In the northern countryside, the town of Anadan was liberated.
Then, the revolutionary factions began to impose a cordon on the city of Aleppo and the regime forces. Today, the Aleppo-Damascus International Road (M5) has been cut off for the regime.
The liberation of Anadan means separating and besieging the city of Tabl and Al-Zahraa from the city of Aleppo, and preventing human and logistical supplies from reaching the regime forces in the city and other fronts.
In addition to besieging the regime from the south by controlling the villages of Khan Tuman and Al-Zarba, as well as controlling the strategic and high-altitude Kafr Halab. Now, there is a move to liberate the strategic hill of Al-Aish, and this means going east towards Mount Arsan and Khanaser, in order to cut off the secondary or subsidiary road taken by the regime forces from Aleppo to Damascus.
There is also great importance for the villages and towns that were liberated, up to Khan Al-Assal in the western countryside. The battles have now begun on the outskirts of the city of Aleppo from the western side.
◼ Can the opposition maintain its advance if Russia puts the weight of its air power in Assad’s favor, as happened in previous battles?
This matter relates to the course of the battle and the extent of the Russian intervention. The Russians are known for their criminality and use of a scorched earth policy. This file also relates to international understandings. Such as the Turkish-Russian understandings and the Russian-American understandings.
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Therefore, we cannot estimate the possibility of the opposition factions remaining stable in the liberated areas, if Russia intervenes with all its air force.
◼ In the end, what are your expectations for the course of the military battle in the foreseeable future?
I expect that the course of the battle will continue to liberate the largest possible area within which the factions can move, before any regional or international intervention or specific international understandings occur. It is certain that the factions have a margin to exploit and impose a fait accompli on the areas under their control.
But as I told you, we do not know the extent, size and dimensions of the operation yet, and we do not know whether it aims to liberate Aleppo and complete it towards the countryside of Hama and Jabal al-Zawiya, or towards Tal Rifaat from the north from the SDF militias.
Things are not clear yet. As time passes, the plan of attack unfolds; Because no one is aware of this plan except the operating room.
