The recent surprise offensive on Aleppo by Syrian rebel groups has placed the United States in a challenging position, as it tries to maintain a neutral stance in the conflict while continuing its mission against ISIS with nearly 1,000 troops stationed in Syria.
According to the Leaders Asia sources, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder addressed the situation on Monday, distancing the U.S. from the Aleppo offensive, during which rebel groups, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), swiftly captured the city for the first time in years. “To be clear, the United States has no involvement in the operations occurring in and around Aleppo, which are being led by HTS, a designated terrorist organization,” Ryder stated, emphasizing the U.S. call for de-escalation.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan echoed similar concerns, describing HTS as “a terrorist organization designated by the United States.” While expressing unease about the group’s objectives, he also noted, “We’re not shedding tears over the pressure on the Assad regime, which is backed by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. It’s a complex situation we’re closely monitoring while staying in touch with our regional partners.”
HTS, formerly known as Jabhat al-Nusra, was an al-Qaeda affiliate in Syria before rebranding itself. The U.S. officially designated HTS as a terrorist group in 2018, citing its evolution from al-Nusra. Ryder reinforced this view, saying, “Despite their efforts to distance themselves from al-Qaeda, HTS remains a designated terrorist organization.”
At the same time, the U.S. maintains its sanctions on President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said continues to exhibit “no change in behavior.” These sanctions, imposed since 2011, aim to limit resources available to the regime and pressure it toward democratic reforms demanded by the Syrian people.
As per the Leaders Asia sources, while U.S. forces are operating far from the Aleppo conflict zone, the instability and Russia’s involvement in supporting Assad have raised concerns. In response to the Aleppo offensive, Russia launched airstrikes on opposition forces in Aleppo and Idlib. To prevent potential miscalculations, the U.S. military used its hotline with Moscow to maintain open communication, Ryder confirmed.
Separately, U.S. bases in Syria have faced sporadic attacks. Over the past 24 hours, a rocket attack targeted a U.S. facility, though no injuries or damage were reported. Additionally, a self-defense strike by U.S. forces eliminated a potential threat near MSS Euphrates last week. Ryder clarified that these incidents were unrelated to the developments in Aleppo and confirmed there are no current changes to U.S. force deployments in Syria.
