Syria. Rebel army commander: the operation against Assad has been prepared for a year

According to Abu Hasan al-Hamwi, the military commander of the largest rebel group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the operation under the slogan “repel aggression” had been planned for years, but only at the end of November, after a year of intensive preparations, it was decided that the time had come .

– To achieve this, it was first necessary to unite the various rebel groups operating in the country. The main problem was the lack of unified leadership, said Hamwi, 40.

He explained that an operations center had been established where commanders of about 25 rebel groups from the south met. They were to coordinate the activities of their fighters there and cooperate with HTS in the north.

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After establishing a coalition led by the HTS group, training of fighters and development of a military doctrine began. – We thoroughly studied the enemy, analyzed his tactics, day and night, and used this knowledge to develop our own forces – he said.

Hamwi said the chaotic collection of disparate rebel groups gradually transformed into a disciplined fighting force. HTS also began producing its own weapons, vehicles and ammunition.

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The Guardian's interlocutor admitted that the rebels' military resources were limited, unlike those of Assad, who had the support of Russia and Iran. Therefore, a military unit was created specializing in operating drones, which included engineers, mechanics and scientists.

– We concentrated their knowledge and set clear goals: we needed reconnaissance drones, attack drones and explosive drones, with an emphasis on range and endurance – emphasized Hamwi, adding that the production of unmanned aerial vehicles began in 2019. It was the drones that, according to Hamwi, determined the success. action against Assad.

After an 11-day offensive, a rebel coalition led by HTS on Sunday overthrew the government of Assad, who fled to Russia with his family. Mohammad al-Bashir was appointed prime minister of the transitional government.