Ukraine's White Wolf joins Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham against Syrian army
4 Min Read
Photos circulating on social media show Ukrainian fighters on the frontlines in Aleppo and Hama, with some of the images depicting military operations and reconnaissance missions.
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Smoke rises amid fighting between opposition factions and Syrian government troops in Idlib, Syria, on November 28, 2024. (AP)
Multiple sources have confirmed direct Ukrainian involvement with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (formerly known as al-Nusra Front), a group classified as a terrorist organization, in ongoing battles against the Syrian army across the fronts of Aleppo, Hama, and Idlib.
Photos circulating on social media show Ukrainian fighters on the frontlines in Aleppo and Hama, with some images depicting military operations and reconnaissance missions.
September 15th, the Khimika group, which is part of the GUR of the Ukraine Ministry of Defense, attacked a Russian military base near Aleppo in Syria
— Bricktop_NAFO (@Bricktop_NAFO) September 16, 2024
It is reported that drones and improvised explosive devices were manufactured at the base. Russians aren’t safe anywhere pic.twitter.com/xmEMLXJfHK
Preliminary reports indicate that the Ukrainian units operating in Syria are part of the White Wolf group, which is affiliated with Ukraine's Security Service (SBU). This specialized unit is known for its expertise in developing and deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), playing a key role in striking Russian forces with drones on the Ukrainian front.
The unit reportedly controls the full range of drone weapons systems.
#Syria(Συρία) Hama area:
— Kωστας Τσεκαιος (@CimbrianMarius) December 2, 2024
HTS & allies try to widen the front at North Hama taking villages like Abo Samira,few gains reported(mainly from yesterday).Drones are being used against SAA & allied forces at northern Hama. pic.twitter.com/n0YPLtaYeR
Equipped with advanced reconnaissance technologies, the unit’s operations begin with gathering intelligence on targets before launching precise attacks, often in coordination with sniper teams.
The photos of Ukrainian soldiers in Syria further suggest a significant role in the heavy use of advanced drones in combat against Syrian forces—a capability that Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham did not possess in recent years.
Ukrainian intelligence, weaponry involved in coordinated attacks on Aleppo
In a related development, sources revealed to Al Mayadeen that a deal was struck before the assault on Aleppo between Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham and Ukrainian intelligence. The agreement reportedly led to the release of mercenaries—of Georgian, Chechen, and Albanian descent—from al-Jolani's prisons, who were subsequently integrated into the Ukrainian unit stationed in northwestern Syria.
Yesterday, a Syrian source familiar with the matter said, as quoted by Russian news agency RIA Novosti, that "the attacks by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham militants on Aleppo in northern Syria were conducted with the involvement of Ukraine and the United States, utilizing advanced technologies."
The source emphasized that "this marks the first time Syrian army communications have been subjected to significant interference."
Ukrainian weaponry had previously surfaced in the attack, with footage emerging showing HTS deploying an advanced attack drone to target a Syrian army position west of Aleppo. The videos, widely circulated on social media, also featured the use of sophisticated drones equipped with bombs and high-resolution cameras to strike Syrian military positions and vehicles.
This comes as the Syrian army continues to confront terrorist militants, emphasizing on Monday its units' readiness and determination to continue their operations and confront terrorist groups to expel them from the north of the country.
A statement issued by the General Command of the Syrian Army and Armed Forces on Monday indicated that in 24 hours, operations continued in cooperation with the Russian forces, carrying out focused air, missile, and artillery strikes on terrorist positions, their warehouses, supply lines, and movement corridors in the rural areas of Aleppo and Idlib.
The statement confirmed that the precise strikes carried out by the Syrian Armed Forces, in cooperation with Russian forces, destroyed five command centers, and seven ammunition and weapon storage sites, some of which contained drones, in 24 hours.
Additionally, more than 400 terrorists, including individuals of various foreign nationalities, were eliminated in the past hours in the rural areas of Aleppo and Idlib.
The statement also highlighted taking action on several fronts in the countryside of Aleppo, Hama, and Idlib to encircle and expel terrorists from areas they had entered, securing them fully, and establishing new positions in preparation for the next offensive. These movements are taking place alongside the continued arrival of further military reinforcements to the conflict zones.
