TEL AVIV, Israel – A contingent of moderate Syrian Arab rebels have deployed along the Jordan-Syria border, ready to launch an offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s regime in the event of a rebel defeat in Aleppo, an informed Arab intelligence official told Breitbart Jerusalem.
These rebels will reinforce other rebel militia groups that have already begun a sustained attack in an attempt to break the lines of the Syrian government forces that are currently laying siege to Aleppo.
The intelligence official corroborated recent claims made by pro-Hezbollah and pro-Assad sources that Jordan and other Arab countries have stepped up their training of Syrian rebels, preparing them to cross into Syria, adding that the training will continue until further notice.
It is anticipated that if the regime fends off the rebels’ counteroffensive in Aleppo, it will divert its forces to Idlib and the Turkish and perhaps even Jordanian borders.
“Should this come about, the rebels will be given the go ahead and cross the border to fight in Syria,” he said, adding that Western officers, including Americans, lead the training of mainly moderate rebels who are adherents of the Syrian Free Army, an umbrella paramilitary organization that splintered from the Syrian army.
“The Aleppo campaign must not fail,” he said. “If the regime wins, it will mark a victory for Russia and Iran, and Iran will tighten its grip on the region, prompting further backlash from radical Sunni groups.”
He emphasized that the rebels currently in training have been vetted to ensure they are not Islamic radicals, and they are all native Syrians.
The American government has yet to okay the mobilization of the rebels, to the dismay of some of the countries involved, the official said.
“The fall of Aleppo will lose for the Arab states all the efforts invested in Syria from the beginning of the civil war to fend off Iran’s influence and bring about Assad’s downfall,” he said. “That’s why the rebels will be sent in even if the Americans don’t give them a green light, because for the Arab states a Syrian-Iranian takeover of Aleppo means a deathblow to the opposition in Syria and a huge boost to the Houthi rebels in Yemen. It’s not a geographically specific development – it rather bears ramifications for the entire region.”
The official admitted that some of the military training involves coordination and intelligence exchange with Israel, “which also seeks to stem Iranian gains and the mushrooming of jihadi extremists,” but refused to elaborate further.
The information comes amid reports that Syrian regime forces, backed by Russia, have gained ground following a rebel offensive in Aleppo over the past few days. Since last month, Syria has successfully imposed a blockade on rebel-controlled sections of Aleppo, and Russia and Syria have been heavily bombarding targets, which reportedly include hospitals, markets, and warehouses.
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