Iranian Generals Prepare for Military Escalation near Damascus, Aleppo

Beirut-Recent military attacks carried out by Syrian regime militants in Damascus’s Western and Eastern Ghouta suburbs revealed that the local agreements reached out with opposition factions in a partially independent way, aimed at neutralizing surrounding areas temporarily until it finds time to attack them; unlike Northern Ghouta suburbs that disclosed the regime’s military weakness despite its aerial strikes.

Moreover, challenges facing the opposition these days are considered greater than the chances of the regime breaking into areas that fall under local agreements between the two parties and destroying them.

Member of the Syrian National Coalition, Ahmed Ramadan, told Asharq Al-Awsat the risk in the coming period “is not limited to areas falling under local agreements since Syria as a whole is threatened.”

He revealed information about the Syrian regime and the Iranian National Guards’ intentions to escalate in the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan at Damascus’s Western and Eastern Ghouta suburbs, and Aleppo as well.

Ramadan further explained the Iranian and Syrian regime’s military scheme, which was found out by the Syrian opposition, aims at launching attacks under the supervision of Iranian generals, who follow the directives of the Iranian National Guard and Supreme Leader of Iran and a Muslim cleric Ali Khamenei, not the Iranian government.

He pointed out that these generals are amassing in Damascus, Western Ghouta, and in Aleppo and are planning military escalation in June, coinciding with the beginning of Ramadan.

He also noted great possibility of Russia’s aircraft involvement in the planned military attacks, as the file that tackles peaceful solution for the Syrian crisis is not achieving any progress.

“Iran, Russia, and the Syrian regime are benefiting from the political stumbling and the U.S. hesitation regarding implementation of agreements and U.N. resolutions,” Ramadan added.

However, the likelihood of the plan’s success is not guaranteed according to the opposition, which confirms that the military power in the North is capable of halting such attacks.

Leader in Ahrar ash-Sham, Mohammed al-Shami, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the entrance of Army of Conquest (Jaish al-Fatah) to Aleppo has changed the whole formula as the opposition forces was able to achieve progresses and repel attacks.

“1174 raids were carried out over Khan Tuman two weeks ago, yet the regime militants were not able to gain ground,” al-Shami noted; adding that the opposition forces in the North prevented the regime from attempting to impose any truce or local and partial deals in their areas.

Notably, local agreements granted the regime chances to restore power through neutralizing areas surrounding the Syrian capital from the fights and later disregarding these agreements since the regime, according to Ramadan, is well known for its coup against the truces and international and local deals.

The regime has earlier neutralized these areas located in south Damascus and Eastern and Western Ghouta suburbs from the fight under the virtue of local agreements that were sponsored by elites from these areas.

However, the regime has breached these agreements after the opposition handed over its heavy arms.

Iranian Generals Prepare for Military Escalation near Damascus, Aleppo