US “mobilizes troops” in northern Syria?
Northern Syria has heated up in recent days with clashes between the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, and pro-Turkish armed groups. The development that partly highlights the tension is the news that the US is preparing to send forces to Koobani City in northern Syria to build a base there. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR, headquartered in the UK), on January 2, the US sent about 50 trucks carrying concrete blocks to the Kobani area. Military vehicles flying American flags also continuously move to this city.
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The pro-SDF news agency North Press said that convoys of the international coalition led by the US have started the process of building military bases, and will soon arrange 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 under pressure. from Türkiye.
Gunmen close 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 militia groups gathered forces along the border with Syria and organized attacks with the goal of controlling Kobani. , a city located on the Syrian-Turkish border and currently controlled by the SDF. The US’s return to Kobani will help maintain military balance and prevent Türkiye and its allies from advancing deep into Syria. The US military withdrew from Kobani in 2019 and Russian forces then took over the place, but recent political developments in Syria have placed new demands on Washington if it wants to maintain influence in Syria. The Pentagon said in December 2024 that there are currently 2,000 US soldiers stationed in Syria, more than double the number of 900 soldiers reported recently.
In related developments, AFP on January 2, citing information from SOHR, said that 23 gunmen from pro-Turkish forces and 1 person from a local armed group affiliated with the SDF were killed in the clash in the city. .Manbij. The SDF said they repelled enemy attacks in the south and east of Manbij City, while Turkish forces continuously raided the above areas with drones and artillery fire. The new Syrian government recently asked militia groups in the country to disband and join the national army, but the SDF requested direct dialogue and satisfactory resolution of problems.
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Israeli involvement
In addition to solving the problem of northern clashes, experts say the new government in Syria needs to pay attention to moves from Israel, a country that still has military actions targeting Syria. On January 2, Syrian media reported that Israel attacked military facilities in Aleppo City, northwest Syria. Tel Aviv forces have carried out hundreds of attacks on military targets in Syria in nearly a 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 Mr. al-Assad was still in power. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they landed in Syria from helicopters, raided and destroyed an underground factory that Tel Aviv said was funded by Iran to produce weapons to serve proxy forces.
According to the sheet The Jerusalem Postthe notable point is how the Israeli army was able to overcome the dense air defense layer protecting the weapons facility, located in Masyaf City. The Israeli raid involved landing support helicopters and support UAVs, while the weapons warehouse in Masyaf is considered the second most strictly protected place in Syria, after the capital Damascus.
The hypothesis is that Israel has conducted many previous operations to neutralize the Syrian air defense system, otherwise the above campaign would be almost impossible, but there is still no clear confirmation. Whatever the reason, the fact that the Israeli army carried out a successful raid will more or less make the new government in Syria pay attention to Tel Aviv’s secret combat capabilities.
Russia looking for a new place to garrison instead of Syria?
CNN on January 1 reported that Russian transport planes in December 2024 landed in Libya with significantly increased frequency, especially after the overthrow of al-Assad’s government in Syria. US media said that Moscow intends to set up garrisons to maintain presence in the Mediterranean, replacing Russian bases in Syria. Russia and Libya have not commented on this information.
