New Delhi: As rebel groups, led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), intensify their offensive against the Syrian regime under President Bashar al-Assad, another key city of Homs has been captured by insurgents.
Notably, two key cities, Aleppo and Hama, were recently captured by the HTS, giving a major blow to President Assad.
According to media reports, Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany announced early on Sunday (December 8, 2024) that militants have “fully liberated” Syria’s central city of Homs. Reports suggest that the insurgents are closing in on the gates of the capital Damascus.
The latest development indicate that the Syrian government has been pushed back by the rebels for the first time in the country’s long-running civil war, the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus.
This comes 12 days after Syrian rebels launched an offensive, forcing the Syrian army to redeploy and announce a “temporary withdrawal”. The surprise attack by rebels, marked a major turning points in the 13-year-long ongoing civil war.
All About Syria Crisis
Last week, Syrian rebel groups launched a surprise attack, forcing the military to redeploy and announce a “temporary withdrawal”. The Syrian rebels entered Aleppo just three days into their surprise offensive which was launched on November 27. The offensive has triggered a fresh wave of conflict amidst a 13-year-long civil war. According to Syrian military, dozens of soldiers lost their lives in the fighting against rebels during Aleppo seizure. Rebels entry in Aleppo marked the first time that they set foot in the country’s second-largest city since government forces recaptured the city in 2016.
Later on December 1, the rebel forces reportedly turned their approach southward and attempted to gain control of Hama, a city south of Aleppo. Despite the concerning development, President Assad, later in the day, vowed that Syria would “defend its stability and its territorial integrity in the face of terrorists and their supporters.”
The Nov 27 surprise offensive, was the first significant flare-up in years between the Syrian opposition and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, who has ruled the war-hit nation since 2000. Meanwhile, in response to the rebels advancement, the government of Syria and Russia have united forces to regain control of rebel-occupied territory.
What We Know So Far
The rebels who have retained control of Idlib since 2020, advanced eastward toward Aleppo in what came as a “surprise attack” for many, on Nov 27. Two days later, the insurgents gained control of Aleppo, forcing the military to announce a “temporary withdrawal”. On Nov 28, the Syrian military confirmed the deaths of dozens of soldiers in the fighting. After reigniting the conflict which laid dormant for years, the militants, on Dec 1 reportedly turned their approach southward and attempted to seize control of Hama, a city south of Aleppo. On Dec 5, the rebels declared their victory over Hama.
In a call with foreign officials, Assad vowed to defeat the insurgency. “Terrorism only understands the language of force, which is the language we will break and eliminate it with, regardless of its supporters and sponsors,” he said.
The 2016 battle for Aleppo was a turning point in the war between Syrian government forces and rebel fighters after 2011 protests against Assad’s rule turned into an all-out war. After appearing to be losing control of the country to the rebels, the Aleppo battle secured Assad’s hold on strategic areas of Syria, with opposition factions and their foreign backers controlling areas on the periphery.
The latest development comes at a time when the West Asia is already mired in the Israel-Palestine conflict.
After Aleppo, Hama, Another Key City of Homs ‘Liberated’ by Rebels; Prez Assad’s Whereabouts Unknown world-news World News | Latest International News | Global World News | World Breaking Headlines Today
