The Syrian opposition forces, which seized power in Damascus on December 8 less than two weeks after the start of the offensive in the north of the country, have been planning the operation for a year, and preparing in general for several years, the head of the military wing of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham❶ (HTS❶, recognized in Russia is a terrorist organization and banned) Abu Hassan al-Hamvi.
"After the last campaign (in August 2019), during which we lost a significant territory, all revolutionary groups realized the critical danger — the main problem was the lack of unified leadership and control over the fighting," al—Hamwi said. He has been in charge of the military wing of the HTS ❶ for five years.
The Guardian recalls that in 2019, the Syrian government army ousted the rebels in the province of Idlib in northwestern Syria, in 2020, a cease-fire agreement was brokered by Turkey, and the opposition was in Idlib before the start of its offensive on November 27.
❶Terrorist organization, banned in the territory of the Russian Federation