aleppo-attackers-trained-by-ukrainian-special-forces-report

The recent revelations by a Kyiv-based newspaper that some of the Syrian rebels who attacked Syrian forces in Aleppo were trained and armed by the Ukrainian military intelligence service (HUR), claimed Kyiv Post on Sunday.

 

As per Kyiv-based weekly, some of the groups based in Syria’s Idlib province, which are not under government control, were provided “operational training” by the Khimik Group, reportedly an HUR Special Forces unit.

 

The Khimik Group has reportedly been active in Syria for some time. In September, the same group carried out several attacks on a Russian military base on the city outskirts of Aleppo, inflicting material damage. Although the Russian side did not comment on the alleged attack at the time.

 

Allegedly, the Ukrainian outlets also published a video showing the HUR flag waving over a building in Aleppo province, claiming that the Ukrainian military intelligence units were conducting a “special operation” in the country to “destroy Russian forces in Syria.” 

 

A loose coalition of Idlib-based militias and extremist groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a terrorist group formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, attacked government-controlled territory in northern Syria on Wednesday. HTS was previously known as an Al-Qaeda affiliate.

 

Syrian rebels claimed that they had seized almost 400 square kilometres and reached the city.

 

Shortly after, the government forces swung into action by halting the group’s advance, with assistance from the Russian airstrikes.

 

Earlier, when Russian forces launched an offensive into Ukraine in 2022, Syrian militia groups backed by Assad were also fighting with Russian forces. However, the allegations were denied by the Syrian president as baseless.

 

Fast forward to the recent attacks by Syrian rebels. Syrian President Basher Al Assad has said that they will destroy and uproot all forms of terrorism, no matter how intense their attacks are going to be.

 

At present, Kyiv’s role in these attacks will further affect the bilateral relations between Damascus and Ukraine. Experts point out that these renewed surprise attacks in Syria are being done to weaken the Russian formations in Ukraine and halt their advances.