dw.com
Syrian Rebels Seize Aleppo in Major Offensive
Syrian rebels, strengthened and rearmed, launched a large-scale offensive capturing Aleppo and advancing on Hama, challenging Assad's regime while Turkey supports the rebels to limit Kurdish influence and resettle Syrian refugees.
- What is the immediate impact of the recent rebel offensive in Syria?
- Following a large-scale offensive launched last Wednesday, Syrian rebels, strengthened and rearmed in recent years, captured Aleppo and advanced toward Hama. This success is attributed to the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) alliance, an evolution of Al-Qaeda's Syrian branch, which aims for a local solution rather than a global caliphate.
- How do the shifting global priorities of Assad's allies affect the Syrian conflict?
- The Syrian civil war's latest development involves a strengthened HTS alliance seizing territory. This challenges President Bashar al-Assad, whose allies, Russia and Iran, are preoccupied with the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Iran conflict respectively. Despite this, Assad maintains control of roughly 60% of Syria.
- What are the long-term implications of Turkey's involvement in supporting the Syrian rebels and its strategic goals in the region?
- The conflict's evolution involves Turkey supporting the HTS rebels to curb Kurdish influence and create demilitarized zones for the return of Syrian refugees. Turkey's actions are significantly influenced by the changing geopolitical dynamics including a potential withdrawal of US troops from the region. This could lead to further instability and a reshaping of Syrian territorial control.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article frames the conflict largely from the perspective of Assad's struggle for survival, highlighting his challenges and the successes of HTS. While providing some counterpoints, the emphasis subtly leans towards portraying Assad as the underdog fighting against a resurgent enemy. The headline itself implicitly frames Assad as the central figure of the conflict. The inclusion of quotes from analysts lends credibility, but their selection might skew the narrative slightly towards the described power dynamics.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral, although terms like "τζιχαντιστές αντάρτες" (jihadist rebels) might carry a negative connotation. The description of HTS as a "μετεξέλιξη του συριακού βραχίονα της Αλ Κάιντα" (evolution of the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda) also implies a negative historical association. More neutral phrasing could be used to describe these groups, while preserving the necessary information.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the conflict between Assad's forces and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) alliance, giving less attention to the perspectives and actions of other actors in the Syrian conflict, such as the Kurds and other rebel groups. The role of external actors beyond Russia, Iran and Turkey is also largely omitted, limiting a complete understanding of the multifaceted nature of the conflict. The article mentions the presence of US troops in the northeast, but doesn't elaborate on their role or impact. This omission could mislead the reader into underestimating the complexity of the situation.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic dichotomy between Assad's forces and the HTS alliance, neglecting the numerous other factions and power dynamics at play in Syria. While acknowledging the existence of Kurdish control in the northeast and Turkish influence in the north, these are treated as secondary to the main conflict, potentially oversimplifying the political landscape.