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Threats of Dismissal and Resignation: Disputes Shake the Opposition Government and Its Armed Militias in Northern Syria
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It appears that Turkish pressure is playing a pivotal role in shaping the policies of the Syrian Interim Government, raising questions about the opposition's independence and its ability to represent
The "Sham" network, citing sources within the Syrian Interim Government, reported that public disputes have emerged between the first and second-tier leaders of the government, stemming from its stance on attacking the "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" and supporting the "Joint Forces" faction. The report mentioned conflicts between the Minister of Defense and the Prime Minister, escalating to the level of threats of dismissal.
According to "Sham's" sources, tensions have arisen between Minister of Defense "Brigadier General Pilot Hassan Hamada" and Prime Minister "Abdul Rahman Mustafa" over the past two days regarding how to address disputes between factions within the "Syrian National Army." Mustafa has taken a stance against some factions and supports others in an effort to weaken them.
"Sham" sources indicated that "Mustafa" warned the Defense Minister in a closed session to adhere to directives and not to disobey orders, particularly concerning military mobilization against "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" and "Suqur Al-Shamal." The government has taken a position against these factions and supports the "Joint Forces," with backing from Turkey, which opposes the merger of "Suqur Al-Shamal" with "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" after the decision to dissolve the faction.
The sources also pointed to a disagreement between "Hamada and Mustafa" over how to execute the orders, with the Prime Minister calling for escalation against "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" and "Suqur Al-Shamal" and preventing their merger, even by force. In contrast, the Defense Minister proposed alternative solutions that did not align with Mustafa's approach. The situation escalated to threats of dismissing the Defense Minister, with Hamada responding by threatening to resign and expose Mustafa's plan to weaken the factions, according to the source.
"Sham" also obtained information indicating that the media advisor to the Syrian Interim Government, "Samer Al-Ani," had submitted his resignation due to the government's policies toward factions within the Syrian National Army. According to a document obtained by "Sham," Al-Ani requested not to renew his temporary contract for several reasons related to the government's performance and its approach toward the Syrian revolutionaries and people.
Among the reasons mentioned in the document obtained by "Sham" was the government's mistreatment of two factions that had made significant sacrifices and martyrs (Ahrar Al-Sharqiya and Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya) and the government's sectarian handling of different regions. Additionally, the government's failure to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people in providing services, its internal conflicts with revolutionaries, and the monopolization of leadership roles by certain figures—despite calls from the revolutionaries for their resignation—were cited. The government's lack of impartiality in dealing with Syrian National Army factions and the absence of transparency with the Syrian people were also highlighted.
"Sham" learned that a meeting took place between Turkish intelligence and military officials and leaders from "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" on Friday. The discussions centered on forcing "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" to reject the merger with "Suqur Al-Shamal" and the necessity of dissolving the faction. However, "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" rejected this demand, considering "Suqur Al-Shamal" a part of the group since the announcement of their merger.
According to "Sham" sources, the meeting did not lead to any results, and a second round of discussions is expected to take place on Saturday between the two sides to explore alternative options that would prevent escalation and avoid a military confrontation, especially amid significant mobilization by the "Joint Forces" against "Al-Jabha Al-Shamiya" and "Suqur Al-Shamal" in Afrin and northern Aleppo.
Levant - Sham Network
