QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press)<\/strong> \u2013 Turkish political analysts believe that the recent military offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) against Syrian government forces in Northwest Syria aligns with Ankara\u2019s broader strategic goals to strengthen its negotiating position.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Javad Kouk, a Turkish political analyst, told North Press on Thursday that Turkey is maintaining a deliberate stance of neutrality regarding the attack. \u201cHTS is officially classified as a terrorist organization, so Turkey cannot openly support its actions. By remaining neutral, Turkey avoids alienating the Syrian government and preserves the possibility of normalizing relations,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Kouk highlighted that Turkey\u2019s measured approach allows it to benefit from the attacks without directly endorsing them. The government seeks to leverage the situation to pressure Syrian President Bashar Assad into concessions in normalization talks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Firas Rida, another Turkish political analyst, suggested that the timing of the offensive indicates a potential alignment with broader regional developments. He posited that a \u201cnew map for the region\u201d is being shaped by the U.S. and Israel, which opposition factions aim to exploit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rida pointed out the Syrian government\u2019s limited ability to repel the attack, largely due to insufficient ground forces. \u201cAirstrikes alone cannot stop the opposition advance, especially as Hezbollah and other Iranian-backed militias have been withdrawing from the region since September,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The analyst added that Turkey indirectly benefits from the attacks as they weaken the Syrian government and serve as leverage against Russia. \u201cThis is Ankara\u2019s way of strengthening its hand in negotiations with both Damascus and Moscow,\u201d Rida explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The offensive comes amidst the ongoing withdrawal of Hezbollah forces from key areas in Northwest Syria, including Maarat al-Numan and Khan Shaykhun in Idlib. These movements have left gaps in the Syrian government\u2019s defenses, which HTS and the SNA have exploited to capture strategic locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While the opposition has made significant advances, including reportedly approaching the city of Aleppo, Rida cautioned that these gains are unlikely to lead to broader territorial expansion due to resource limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The analysts agreed that Turkey\u2019s ultimate aim is not to overthrow the Assad government but to use the situation as a bargaining chip. \u201cTurkey benefits from keeping the Syrian government under pressure while maintaining control over opposition factions,\u201d Kouk noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The attack also serves as a message to Russia and Iran, signaling Turkey\u2019s continued influence in Northwest Syria despite ongoing normalization efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) \u2013 Turkish political analysts believe that the recent military offensive by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly al-Nusra Front) and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) against Syrian government forces in Northwest Syria aligns with Ankara\u2019s broader strategic goals to strengthen its negotiating position. Javad Kouk, a Turkish political analyst, told […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":118781,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-118780","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","category-syria"],"yoast_head":"\nTurkey’s Balancing Act<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Implications of the Offensive<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hezbollah\u2019s Withdrawal and Regional Dynamics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Strategic Goals and Regional Impact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reporting by Saad al-Yaziji<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Editing by Kardo Roj<\/strong><\/h3>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"