Interview
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Syrian-Swiss academic, Joseph Daher deciphers the national and regional issues of the dazzling offensive carried out since Wednesday November 27 by a coalition of rebel groups against the regime of Bashar al-Assad.
For the first time since 2011, Syria's second city, Aleppo, is completely outside the regime's control. Middle East specialist and visiting professor at the University of Lausanne, Joseph Daher looks back on the lightning offensive launched by a coalition of rebel groups led by Islamists.
How do you analyze this offensive?
I think that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group was able to seize a window of opportunity, by gathering around itself a certain number of rebel forces, mainly composed of Islamic fundamentalist groups in their political orientations, at a time when the main allies of the Syrian regime are weakened. The Russians are focused on the war in Ukraine, while Iran and Hezbollah are mobilized elsewhere in the region, starting of course with the situation in Lebanon.
What role does Turkey play, which supports some of the groups engaged in this attack?
Some forces are indeed extremely dependent on Turkey. Does this mean that Ankara pushed for
