Author: Steven Simon
-
Rebels seize on Assad weakness, attack Aleppo
Forces under the banner of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), jumping off from their territory in the Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, have sliced through Bashar al-Assad’s army and penetrated Aleppo. HTS is derived from al Qaeda’s Syrian branch. Al Qaeda was pushed out of Syria by more radical splinter factions early in the civil war. HTS…