The Turkish commander who frightened Israel: Syria's dramatic move near the border
Omer Ciftci, one of the prominent HTS commanders who previously commanded in Daraa and Quneitra, has been transferred north to Hama. In Turkey, it is estimated that the move may also be intended to reduce sensitivity regarding Israel.
A new appointment in the Syrian army is sparking interest in Turkey, mainly due to the identity of the officer at its center. Omer Ciftci, known as Mukhtar al-Turki, has been appointed commander of the 62nd Division — a move that transfers him from southern Syria to Hama, further away from the border with Israel. According to a report in Türkiye Today, Ciftci is a figure whom the Israeli security establishment has been monitoring closely.
He is a Turkish national by origin, considered one of the senior and capable commanders in the ranks of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), and a man with significant influence over foreign fighters as well. Previously, Ciftci was stationed in the most sensitive areas from Israel's perspective. After the fall of the Assad regime, he was appointed commander of the 44th Division in Daraa and Quneitra, opposite the Golan Heights, and later moved to command the 70th Division in Damascus.
Now comes a change of direction. Instead of remaining near the Israeli border, Ciftci has been sent north to take charge of the 62nd Division. The Turkish website notes that there is no proof that the decision was made following Israeli pressure, but raises the possibility that this consideration was at least part of the picture. The reason is clear: according to the report, a combination of his Turkish origin, his status within HTS, his ties to foreign fighters, and his statements regarding Israel made him an unusual figure in the Syrian command landscape — and one that arouses more suspicion than other commanders.
The move takes on additional significance against the backdrop of Syrian attempts to establish a security mechanism with Israel. In such a situation, the removal of an officer perceived as particularly sensitive from the border may be received in Jerusalem as a reassuring message.
The battle for loyalty
However, the move also has an internal Syrian, and perhaps simpler, explanation. The 62nd Division was largely composed of fighters who previously belonged to the Sultan Suleiman Shah faction and had maintained loyalty for years to Muhammad al-Jassem, known as Abu Amsha. Al-Jassem himself was recently promoted to the position of Deputy Commander of the Central Corps — a promotion that moves him up the chain of command, but simultaneously disconnects him from direct control over his men.
This is where Ciftci enters the picture. According to commentary in Turkey, it is possible that the Syrian Ministry of Defense chose him precisely because he had already proven in the past an ability to take units with old loyalties and integrate them into the new military framework. In other words, his mission in the 62nd Division may be less related to Israel and more to Damascus's attempt to dismantle the remnants of the militia structure from the civil war era.
The fact that he is an officer of Turkish origin may also be significant. Abu Amsha is considered close to Turkey, so Ciftci's appointment may also signal to Ankara that the move is not directed against it.
These changes come days after Syrian army units were placed on high alert on August 4, without a public explanation. During those hours, rumors spread in Syria about the possibility of internal tension in the army and even a threat from pro-Iranian Shiite militias from Iraq. Ultimately, according to the report, it was not a coup attempt but a broader reorganization of the army and an attempt to shift the center of gravity from loyalty to commanders and factions to loyalty to the state.
But from Israel's perspective, the result is simpler: one of the Syrian officers considered most sensitive to it is no longer sitting on the Golan border. Now it remains to be seen whether this happened by chance — or as part of a broader political calculation.
