Reports indicate anti-Assad rebels seize majority of vital southern Syrian area

Accounts suggest that insurgent groups in southern Syria have gained control over the majority of the Deraa region, which is recognized as the origin point of the 2011 rebellion against President Bashar al-Assad. A war monitoring organization based in the UK states that “local factions” successfully seized numerous military installations in the area after engaging in “violent battles” with government troops. As reported by Reuters news agency, rebel sources assert that an agreement was finalized for the army’s withdrawal and for military officials to receive secure transit to Damascus, the capital, situated approximately 100km (62 miles) distant. Concurrently, in the northern part of the country, the Syrian military has declared it is conducting aerial bombardments near Homs, aiming to repel insurgents who have advanced to the periphery of the strategically important city. Information from a conflict monitoring group suggests that Syrian forces have retreated to settlements merely 10km (6.2 miles) from Damascus; however, the army has refuted this claim, and the BBC has not been able to confirm its accuracy. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based organization monitoring the conflict, stated on Friday that southern rebels held sway over more than 90% of the Deraa region, with only the Sanamayn area remaining under government authority. Deraa city holds both strategic and symbolic significance. It serves as a provincial capital, is situated near key crossings on the Jordanian border, and was the site where pro-democracy demonstrations began in 2011, initiating the nation’s continuing civil war, which has claimed over half a million lives. Jordan’s interior minister announced that the nation had sealed its border side “a result of the surrounding security conditions in Syria’s south”. Alongside the US and UK, Jordan has also advised its nationals to depart Syria without delay. Concurrently, reports indicate that government representatives in Suweida, a city approximately 50km east of Deraa, have evacuated after confrontations erupted between security personnel and militias affiliated with the minority Druze sect, which is the dominant group in that area. Ryan Marouf, an activist and editor for the news website Suwayda 24, informed Reuters that “people are seeing what is happening in the rest of Syria as liberation of Syria and a chance to bring down the regime”. In another development, Kurdish-led forces claim to have seized Deir Ezzor, which was the government’s primary stronghold in the expansive eastern desert of the nation. Furthermore, in the north, the principal rebel assault has advanced to the periphery of the strategically important city of Homs. The Syrian military, supported by its Russian allies, is retaliating, with aerial attacks resulting in the deaths of 20 civilians in the city’s suburban areas on Friday. Significantly, officials cited by the New York Times report that Iran, another crucial ally of President Assad, has commenced the withdrawal of its military commanders and staff. Slightly more than a week has passed since northern rebels initiated their swift offensive, marking the most substantial assault against the Syrian government in years and revealing the vulnerabilities of the nation’s armed forces. The UN estimates that a minimum of 370,000 individuals have been displaced thus far due to the rebel advance, adding that the conflict is “worsening an already horrific situation for civilians in the north of the country”. A number of civilians find themselves stranded in combat zones, unable to access more secure areas. SOHR reports that over 820 individuals, among them 111 civilians, have died nationwide since the Islamist-led rebels commenced their offensive last week. On Thursday, they captured Hama, situated north of Homs, delivering a second significant setback to President Assad, who had lost command of Aleppo the previous week. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who leads the Islamist militant organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), conveyed to Homs residents that “your time has come”. The insurgent forces have been moving southward, with Homs anticipated as the subsequent point on their route towards Damascus. Frightened individuals from President Assad’s Alawite minority community are hastily departing Homs, as video recordings depict roadways congested with vehicles. The Syrian group spearheading the attack declared on Telegram, “Our forces have liberated the last village on the outskirts of the city of Homs and are now on its walls.” The BBC has been unable to confirm these troop movements, though SOHR previously indicated that rebels were situated just a few kilometers from the city. The SOHR stated that Russian military aircraft had targeted a bridge in Rastan, a nearby location, in an attempt to impede the rebel progression. Following the Syrian military’s loss of Hama after several days of combat, uncertainty remains regarding its capacity to defend Homs. The ministry of defence has refuted allegations that it had pulled back troops from the strategic urban center, which connects the capital Damascus with the Alawite stronghold along the Mediterranean coast. The Alawites constitute a minority denomination of Shia Muslims, from which the Assad family descends. They have historically served as a significant foundation of support for Assad’s governance and are crucial to the president’s maintenance of authority. Assad has pledged to “crush” the insurgents and has charged Western nations with attempting to reshape the regional map. However, analysts contend that his forces are dispirited, grappling with inadequate remuneration and internal corruption. State news agency Sana reported that he declared a 50% salary increase recently. Russia and Iran, recognized as the regime’s most vital allies, have affirmed their ongoing backing for Assad. Nevertheless, they have not supplied the type of military aid that has, until now, sustained his leadership, and Moscow is currently advising Russian citizens to depart the nation. On Friday, the US similarly recommended that its citizens exit Syria “while commercial options remain available in Damascus”. The Kremlin is engrossed in its conflict in Ukraine, and Iran has been debilitated by Israel’s severe offensive against its strongest allied militia, Lebanon’s Hezbollah. Hezbollah, whose combatants were instrumental in retaining regime-held territory in Syria, are now mostly missing from the front lines, though accounts in the Lebanese and Israeli media suggest limited numbers have crossed the frontier to bolster Homs’ defensive efforts. Officials from Russia and Iran are anticipated to convene with their Turkish counterparts over the weekend to deliberate on a strategy in response to this escalation in Syria’s civil conflict. Turkey supports certain rebel factions, and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has for several months urged Mr Assad to achieve a political resolution with the opposition. He has expressed approval for the insurgents’ recent gains and asserted that the offensive would not have occurred had Assad heeded his appeals. Analysts suggest that it is highly improbable this could have transpired without Ankara’s awareness and consent. On his part, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of HTS, has been issuing public statements aimed at improving his public perception and providing reassurance to both Syrian citizens and international leaders. He has highlighted his separation years ago from Islamic State and Al Qaeda, portraying himself as a nationalist who opposes assaults beyond Syria’s borders and pledging safeguard for minority populations. During an interview with CNN, al-Jolani declared that the objective of the rebel forces was to depose the Assad regime and establish a government that is representative of all Syrians. Previously, HTS combatants and their allied groups seized Hama and freed prisoners from its central correctional facility amidst intense fighting, while the military stated it had repositioned its forces outside the urban area. Hama, with a population of one million, is situated 110km south of Aleppo, a city that rebels secured last week. In Aleppo, a metropolis inhabited by two million people, certain public utilities and essential infrastructure—such as hospitals, bakeries, power plants, water, internet, and telecommunications—are either interrupted or inoperable due to scarcities of provisions and staff. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres implored “all those with influence to do their part” to bring an end to the civil conflict. With supplementary reporting provided by Maia Davies. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.