By Esra Tekin
ISTANBUL (AA) - The Iraqi Turkmen Front (ITF) called Sunday for preserving the territorial integrity of Syria following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
“In this process, it is crucial to provide the necessary support to the noble people of Syria in order to preserve the country's territorial integrity and cleanse it of terrorism,” ITF President Hasan Turan said on X.
Noting that Syria needs to be rebuilt, Turan called for international support for its reconstruction, urging all segments of society in the country to take part in this national duty.
Emphasizing that constructive dialogue with relevant parties should be maintained to ensure the security and stability of the region, Turan expressed the ITF’s support for the Iraqi government’s stance towards the Syrian people.
Clashes broke out between Assad regime forces and anti-regime armed groups on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo, a major city in northern Syria.
On Nov. 30, anti-regime groups took control of most of the center of Aleppo from regime forces, and on the same day, they gained control over all of Idlib province. Last Thursday, after fierce clashes, the groups took the city center of Hama from regime forces.
Anti-regime groups captured some settlements in the strategically important province of Homs, a gateway to the capital Damascus, and started to advance there.
On Friday, armed opposition groups launched an operation in Daraa province on Syria's border with Jordan and recaptured the city center from regime forces after clashes.
On Saturday, the entire province of Suwayda in southern Syria also came under the control of opposition groups. On the same day, local opposition groups in Quneitra also took control of the provincial center.
In Homs, anti-regime forces took control of the provincial center on Saturday.
Groups advancing against Assad regime forces entered the southern suburbs of Damascus later on Saturday. Regime forces also withdrew from the defense and interior ministries and the international airport in Damascus.
As anti-regime armed groups started to dominate the capital, the Assad regime on Sunday morning quickly lost all control of Damascus.
Separately, in Operation Dawn of Freedom launched by the opposition Syrian National Army against the PKK/YPG terrorist organization in rural areas of Aleppo on Dec. 1, Tel Rifaat district’s center was liberated from terrorism.