Biden admin communicating with terrorist head of Syrian rebel group through Turkish intermediary: report

The rebel groups have united under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, one of the rebellion’s most powerful factions. The group’s leader, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, has been involved with ISIS and Al-Queda.

According to the New York Times, the US has been relaying messages through the Turkish government to all of the rebel groups involved in the overthrow of the regime, cautioning them against allying with terrorists from the Islamic State (ISIS). On Sunday, President Joe Biden said in an address "We're clear tonight about the fact that ISIS will try to take advantage of any vacuum to re-establish its capabilities and to create a safe haven. We will not let that happen."

Turkish and US officials said that the groups replied through the Turks that they had no plans to have the Islamic State be part of their rebellion.

"Make no mistake," Biden said on Sunday, "some of the rebel groups that took down Assad have their own grim record of terrorism and human rights abuses. We've taken note of statements by these rebel groups in recent days, and while they're saying the right things now, as they take on greater responsibility, we will assess not just their words, but their actions, and we are mindful."

White House officials told The Times Biden and his advisors are trying to sort out how much they should engage with the rebel groups. Intelligence analysts, meanwhile, are trying to determine if the groups are still allied with terrorist organizations.

The US conducted airstrikes against Islamic State camps and operatives in Syria, hitting over 75 targets. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla, the head of the U.S. Central Command, which oversees operations in the region, said in a statement, "There should be no doubt — we will not allow ISIS to reconstitute and take advantage of the current situation in Syria. All organizations in Syria should know that we will hold them accountable if they partner with or support ISIS in any way."

President-elect Donald Trump posted on Truth Social on Sunday, saying "Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer.” Trump added that Russian President Vladimir Putin should engage in peace talks over Ukraine writing, “There should be an immediate ceasefire and negotiations should begin. Too many lives are being so needlessly wasted, too many families destroyed, and if it keeps going, it can turn into something much bigger, and far worse. I know Vladimir well. This is his time to act." Trump has also cautioned Biden not to engage the US in another operation in Syria.

Yet on Sunday, Biden said that US "will help stability, ensure stability in eastern Syria" and "will engage with all Syrian groups, including within the process led by the United Nations to establish a transition away from the Assad regime toward an independent, sovereign, and I might say it again, sovereign Syria with a new constitution, a new government that serves all Syrians. This process will be determined by the Syrian people themselves. The United States will do whatever we can to support them, including through humanitarian relief, to help restore Syria after a decade of war and generations of brutality by the Assad family."

Assad has killed over 500,000 of his people during the Syrian civil war and even used chemical weapons against them. In 2011, President Barack Obama drew a "red line" against the use of chemical weapons in Syria but did not enforce it.