Release of Syria regime soldiers causes pro-Turkish militia friction

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Turkish government’s release of 18 Syrian regime soldiers captured by Syrian National Army (SNA) fighters has caused schism within the Ankara-backed force, with some SNA members calling the handover of the hostages by their leadership a “betrayal.”

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring on October 9, taking control of Sari Kani (Ras al-Ain) and Gire Spi (Tal Abyad) from the Kurdish-led Syria Democratic Forces (SDF). 

However, Turkish deals with both the US and Russia paused the operation for about 11 days – with the exception a few skirmishes - giving Syrian regime forces time to deploy troops to the Syria-Turkey border after it struck a deal with the SDF.

As the pause drew to an end, fighters from the SNA, an umbrella group of Turkey-backed proxies, attacked Syrian Arab Army (SAA) soldiers near Sari Kani on Tuesday, capturing 18 of them. Footage purportedly showing abuse by the captors later emerged. 

Turkey confirmed the capture of the regime soldiers and said that it was in discussion with Russia to secure their release. The hostages were handed over to Russian military police on Thursday.

Some pro-Turkey groups have since accused SNA leaders of “betrayal” for allowing the handover to occur.

The SNA’s General Body of the Revolution office in Aleppo said that they were “shocked” by the news of the handover, calling it a “betrayal to hundreds of thousands of detainees" from opposition groups being held in regime prisons. 

"Syrian National Army's leadership is responsible for this ridiculous skit," it said, before demanding an explanation.

The SNA brigade believed to have captured the soldiers justified the release of the hostages by saying it was a “temporary tactic” to facilitate Turkish and Turkey-backed proxy operations in northern Syria. 

The Second Brigade handed the soldiers over "because the circumstances of battle impose some temporary tactics which paves the way for the other side [Turkey and its proxies] to continue the battle."

The SNA-affiliated Jarabulus Nightmare News channel on Telegram filled with messages denoting treachery and division.  The channel also reported that tens of fighters have since left the 
SNA's ranks. 

Furor over the handover process has instigated further criticism of the group’s commanders, including accusations of corrupt action.
 
Commanders have been accused of each confiscating a number of houses in Afrin - occupied by Turkey and its Syrian proxies in 2018 - and using them as rental homes. 

With brigades differing in ideology and motive, keeping the at least 14,000 SNA fighters assisting Operation Peace Spring under the same SNA umbrella has proven difficult. 

The SDF has claimed that a great number of these fighters used to be Islamic State (ISIS) members, who later joined the SNA with Turkey’s knowledge. 

SNA fighter conduct has been criticized internationally. Accusations have included the targeting of civilians. 

Days after Operation Peace Spring began, executive director at Human Rights Watch Kenneth Roth said the operation was likely to see the same violations previously enacted by Turkey and its proxy militias. 

“Turkey and its allies have previously unlawfully killed, arbitrarily arrested, and wrongfully displaced civilians. This military operation risks repeating these abuses unless they take steps now,” he said in the monitor’s October 11 report.

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