Syrian Opposition Forces Seize Second Major City Following Military Withdrawal

Syrian opposition forces report gaining complete command of a second significant urban center, following the military’s pullout from Hama, marking another disadvantage for President Bashar al-Assad. Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, who leads the Islamist militant organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), proclaimed “victory” in Hama and pledged that “no revenge” would be sought. Previously, HTS combatants and their allied forces seized Hama’s central correctional facility, freeing prisoners during intense fighting, concurrently with the military’s statement that it had repositioned its forces beyond the city limits. Hama, a city with a population of one million, is situated 110km (70 miles) south of Aleppo, a city that rebel forces seized last week following the initiation of an unexpected offensive from their base in the north-west. A commander from the rebel faction informed inhabitants of Homs, the subsequent city to the south along the highway connecting Aleppo and Damascus, that “your time has come”. Historically, President Assad depended on Russia and Iran to suppress opposition forces. However, as both allied nations are currently engaged with their own concerns, the means by which – or even if – he can halt an offensive that might jeopardize his government’s continued existence remains uncertain. Over 500,000 individuals have lost their lives since the outbreak of a civil conflict in 2011, which began after Assad’s administration responded with force to peaceful demonstrations advocating for democracy. Rebel forces breached the government’s defensive positions situated north of Hama subsequent to multiple days of intense combat. The military had dispatched additional forces to the city following Aleppo’s capture. Nevertheless, even with assistance from Russian aerial bombardments and Iran-supported militia combatants, the soldiers could not stop Hama from being overtaken on Thursday. Hassan Abdul Ghani, a rebel commander, stated in the morning that his combatants were involved in intense engagements across different neighborhoods. By early afternoon, he declared that hundreds of prisoners from Hama’s central detention facility had been freed. Shortly thereafter, the military declared the repositioning of its forces outside Hama, citing the objective “to preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat”. Imagery and video footage disseminated online and corroborated by the BBC depicted fighters within multiple north-eastern districts. The liberated prisoners were additionally recorded commemorating their release outside the central prison alongside a rebel and a journalist from a pro-opposition media organization. Abdul Ghani subsequently stated: “We’re pleased to tell you that Hama has been completely liberated after our forces have finished combing operations.” He further indicated that the rebels had secured Hama military airport, located on the city’s western periphery, in addition to Jabal Zain al-Abadin, a strategically significant elevated position directly to the north-east that provides a vantage point over the Damascus-Aleppo highway. Through a video recording, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani conveyed that his combatants had advanced into Hama with the aim to “cleanse the wound that has endured in Syria for 40 years”. He further stated, “I ask God almighty that it be a conquest with no revenge.” The HTS leader’s remarks alluded to the fatalities of between 10,000 and 25,000 individuals in the city during 1982, a period when the deceased President Hafez al-Assad deployed tanks and artillery to suppress an Islamist insurgency. Comparable methods have been utilized nationwide by his son, Bashar, throughout the last 13 years. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based oversight organization, over 820 individuals – predominantly combatants, yet also comprising 111 civilians – have died throughout the nation since the commencement of the rebel offensive eight days prior. The United Nations has indicated that the conflict is additionally “worsening an already horrific situation for civilians in the north of the county”. Approximately 280,000 people have been displaced, with the majority being women and children, and certain civilians are stranded in active conflict zones, unable to access more secure areas. Concurrently in Aleppo, a city housing two million residents, various public services and essential infrastructure – such as hospitals, bakeries, power stations, water, internet, and telecommunications – are either interrupted or inoperative due to insufficient provisions and staffing. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres implored “all those with influence to do their part” to bring an end to the civil conflict. He further commented, “We are seeing the bitter fruits of a chronic collective failure of previous de-escalation arrangements to produce a genuine nationwide ceasefire or a serious political process.” He concluded, “These must change.” President Assad has pledged to “crush” the rebel forces and has charged Western nations with attempting to redefine the regional map, while his principal allies, Russia and Iran, have extended their “unconditional support”. Russian military aircraft have escalated their attacks on territories controlled by rebels in recent days, Iran-supported militias have deployed combatants to strengthen the government’s defensive positions, and Iran has declared its readiness to dispatch further forces to Syria if requested. Turkey, a nation that backs the Syrian opposition but has refuted claims of its participation in the HTS-led offensive, has called upon Assad to enter into a political dialogue with the opposition to conclude Syria’s 13-year civil conflict. Meanwhile, rebel factions supported by Turkey have exploited the government’s withdrawal in the north by initiating a distinct offensive against an enclave of land near Aleppo previously held by a Kurdish-led militia coalition, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Turkey, which contends with a substantial and restive Kurdish minority, views the Kurds in Syria as a security concern. Prior to the commencement of the rebel offensive, the government had re-established authority over Syria’s primary cities, aided by Russia, Iran, and Iran-supported militias. Nonetheless, significant portions of the nation continued to be beyond its governance. The final bastion for the rebels was located in Aleppo and Idlib provinces, which share a border with Turkey and where over four million individuals resided, a considerable number having been displaced from government-controlled territories. This territory was primarily controlled by HTS, an entity classified as a terrorist organization by the UN, US, Turkey, and other nations, owing to its former affiliation with al-Qaeda in Syria until it formally severed connections in 2016. Several allied rebel factions and jihadist organizations were also established there, alongside Turkish-supported SNA factions and Turkish military personnel. HTS and its confederates stated on 27 November that they had initiated an offensive intended to “deter aggression,” alleging that the government and its allied Iran-supported militias had intensified assaults on civilians in the north-west. This development, however, occurred at a juncture when the government’s allies were engaged in other conflicts. The Iran-supported Lebanese group Hezbollah, which played a vital role in repelling rebels during the initial stages of the war, has recently been impacted by Israel’s offensive in Lebanon. Its new leader, Naim Qassem, declared on Thursday that it would “be by Syria’s side in thwarting the goals of this aggression as much as we can”. Furthermore, Israeli attacks have resulted in the deaths of Iranian military commanders in Syria and have weakened logistical routes to pro-government militias in the region. Russia has also been diverted by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.