U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a stark warning today, stating that Syria is “weeks, not months” from a potential collapse into a “full-scale civil war” that could destabilize the entire region.
Speaking at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Rubio emphasized the fragility of Syria’s interim government, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and urged Washington to engage with Damascus to prevent chaos.
Concurrently, Syria’s newly appointed Defense Minister, Major General Marhaf Abu Qasra, also known as Abu Hassan al-Hamawi, hosted a high-level delegation from the Turkish Ministry of Defense in Damascus. The delegation, led by Major General Ilkay Altındağ, Director General of Defense and Security, included Turkish Ambassador to Damascus, Burhan Köroğlu. The meeting signals Turkey’s continued influence over Syria’s transitional government, raising concerns about Ankara’s role in supporting HTS, a group with historical ties to al-Qaeda.
Abu Qasra, a former military wing commander of HTS, was appointed Defense Minister on December 21, 2024, as part of efforts to unify opposition factions under Syria’s Ministry of Defense. Turkey’s backing of HTS and its proxies, including the Syrian National Army, has been pivotal in the rapid fall of the Assad regime in December 2024, but critics warn of Turkey’s neo-Ottoman ambitions and its history of enabling jihadist groups.
The U.S. has expressed cautious support for the Syrian government’s success to avoid further instability but remains wary of HTS’s jihadist roots. Rubio’s remarks underscore fears that without international engagement, Syria could face a repeat of the chaos seen in Iraq or Libya.
Stay tuned for further developments as tensions rise in the region.
