By Rania Abu Shamala
ISTANBUL (AA) – US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday described the situation in Syria as a "mess," saying, "Washington should have nothing to do with it," referring to anti-regime groups backed by the Biden administration, which are stationed in southern Syria near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders and began expanding both to the north and towards Damascus.
“In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT,” said Trump in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!
“Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad,” Trump added.
Armed groups opposed to Bashar al-Assad's regime began entering Damascus' southern suburbs on Saturday.
Fighting regime forces, the groups entered the Darayya suburb south of the capital.
Renewed fighting between regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo.
By Nov. 30, opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across the Idlib province.
Following intense clashes, groups took control of the Hama city center from regime forces on Thursday.
Anti-regime groups also seized several settlements in the strategically important Homs province, which leads to Damascus, and began to advance.
On Friday, Syrian opposition groups took control of Daraa in southern Syria, near the Jordanian border.
Earlier on Saturday, they seized total control of the Suwayda province in southern Syria. On the same day, local opposition forces in Quneitra gained control of the provincial capital.
On Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the terrorist group PKK/YPG in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terror elements.