Trump made the comments on his Truth Social platform, adding "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend."
The comments come as an Islamist opposition group with ties to the al-Qaida terrorist organization continues moving across Syria, intent on toppling the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The group Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham or HTS, launched its campaign at the end of November. The United States, European Union and other countries classify HTS as a designated terrorist group.
On Friday, HTS members moved within striking distance of the city of Homs in Western Syria, causing civilians to flee ahead of their advances. Homs is located approximately 100 miles north of the Syrian capital Damascus.
"Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad," Trump wrote Saturday.
"This is where former President Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them."
Syria and its president for the last 24 years, al-Assad, have alliances with Iran and Russia, with the latter previously supporting Syria's efforts to suppress opposition.
Trump made a point on Saturday to mention Russia.
"Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years," he wrote.
The president-elect is in Paris where he his attending the official reopening of the Notre Dame Cathedral, along with other heads of state like Britain's Prince William.
Syria army says 'redeploying' in southern Daraa, Sweida provinces
Damascus (AFP) Dec 7, 2024 -
Syria's army said it was redeploying in two southern provinces on Saturday, after a war monitor reported government forces had lost control of most of Daraa province, the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising.
"Our forces operating in Daraa and Sweida are redeploying and repositioning, and establishing a... security cordon in that direction after terrorist elements attacked remote army checkpoints," the General Command of the Army and Armed Forces said in a statement carried by state media.
On Friday evening, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said local factions had taken control of more than 90 percent of Daraa, including the eponymous city.
In neighbouring Sweida, the Britain-based monitor and local media said the governor, the police and prison chiefs, and the local ruling Baath Party leader had left their offices as local fighters took control of several checkpoints.
The army's statement said it was "beginning to regain control in Homs and Hama provinces in the face of terrorist organisations", as rebels who launched a stunning offensive last week, taking key cities Aleppo and Hama, battled troops near Homs.
Sweida is the heartland of Syria's Druze minority and has witnessed anti-government demonstrations for more than a year.
Damascus has turned a blind eye to tens of thousands of Druze men refusing to undertake compulsory military service. The vast majority of them have not taken up arms against the government.
Daraa province, meanwhile, was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule, but it returned to government control in 2018 under a ceasefire deal brokered by Assad ally Russia.
Former rebels there who accepted the 2018 deal were able to keep their light weapons.
Daraa province has been plagued by unrest in recent years, with frequent attacks, armed clashes and assassinations, some claimed by the Islamic State group.
Syrian government loses control of southern city of Daraa: monitor
Beirut, Lebanon (AFP) Dec 6, 2024 -
The Syrian government lost control Friday of the symbolic southern city of Daraa and most of the eponymous province, which was the cradle of the country's 2011 uprising, a war monitor said.
"Local factions have taken control of more areas in Daraa province, including Daraa city... They now control more than 90 percent of the province, as regime forces successively pulled out," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
In Daraa province, only the Sanamayn area is still in government hands, Rami Abdel Rahman, who heads the British-based monitor with a network of sources in Syria, told AFP.
Earlier Friday, local factions seized the Nassib-Jaber border crossing with Jordan, the Observatory said, with Jordan closing its side of the crossing, Interior Minister Mazen al-Faraya said.
Daraa province was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's rule, but it returned to government control in 2018 under a ceasefire deal brokered by Assad ally Russia. It was a rebel bastion at the height of the civil war in the early 2010s.
Former rebels there who accepted the 2018 deal were able to keep their light weapons.
Daraa province has been plagued by unrest in recent years, with frequent attacks, armed clashes and assassinations, some claimed by the Islamic State group.
Iran, Iraq join Syria in warning rebel advance threatens whole region
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 6, 2024 -
Iran and Iraq issued a joint statement with Syria on Friday warning that sweeping rebel gains at the expense of President Bashar al-Assad's forces posed a danger to the whole region
"Threats against Syria's security constitute a danger for the stability of the region," said the statement issued after a meeting of the three countries' foreign ministers.
"There is no alternative to coordination, cooperation and diplomatic consultation" if the "risks of escalation" are to be avoided, the ministers said.
They underlined the "need for Arab, regional and international action to bring about peaceful resolutions to the challenges facing Syria and the region."
Earlier, Iran's Abbas Araghchi pledged to provide Assad's government with "whatever (support) is needed" to tackle the rebel advance.
Iraq's Fuad Hussein said security forces were "on high alert".
Friday's meeting in Baghdad came ahead of talks in Doha this weekend that will see Damascus allies Moscow and Tehran sit down with opposition-supporting Ankara.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he hoped the rebel advance would go off "without incident".
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