According to a war monitor on Wednesday, rebels have surrounded the Syrian city of Hama “from three sides,” putting it at the epicentre of fierce combat. The city is crucial to protecting Damascus, the capital and seat of President Bashar al-Assad’s authority, and government forces are fighting to hold onto it.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based group that tracks the conflict through a network of on-the-ground sources, reported that the rebels are now just three to four kilometres (about two miles) away from Hama. The only way out for Assad’s forces is a single route leading south toward Homs.
This follows a spectacular rebel assault over the previous week in which they took control of major swaths of territory, including Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, an accomplishment that Assad’s regime had been able to avert for almost ten years of conflict.
Jolani’s Victory Lap
In a bold and symbolic move, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, visited Aleppo’s historic citadel on Wednesday. Photos shared on the rebels’ Telegram channel showed him waving to cheering supporters from the back of an open-top car as he toured the ancient fortress, a landmark that had long been under government control.
It becomes worse for the inhabitants of Hama. The sound of explosions has turned from becoming a frightening event into something monotonously everyday.
“It’s really terrifying,” said Wassim, a 36-year-old delivery driver, living in the city. “They have bombed and I can hear it even inside the house. There isn’t anywhere better to go, so I will stay put.”
Many other individuals like Wassim seem to be trapped, with no minds as to what comes next as the city is under siege.
Assad Calling for Increased Counteroffensive
Rebels are gaining fast at the beginning of their operations; however, government forces are digging in around Hama. Fighting with hardening government forces will cost Assad a further 50% pay increase for career soldiers in an attempt to bolster morale and ensure their loyalty as government forces prepare for an assault.
The fights in the northern province of Hama were described as “fierce” by state media, and reports indicate Syrian and Russian airstrikes striking rebel locations. In the last 24 hours, large military convoys packed with tanks, weapons, and troops have been sent to the area.
The Observatory added that pro-government forces, aided by Russian and Iranian officers, managed to repel a rebel assault northwest of Hama. This area consist of villages dominated by Alawites, the same Shiites faction that the President, Bashar Assad belongs to and as therefore a touchy area for government.
It has been brutal, 704 people have died since the rebels launched their attack on November the 27. Apparently, the majority of the losses are military personnel on both sides, however, not fewer than a hundred and ten civilians’ deaths have been reported.
The death list includes Anas Alkharboutli, a well-known Syrian photographer who won prizes. A German news agency said Alkharboutli died in an airstrike near Hama while covering the conflict.
The United Nations stated that the recent fighting has displaced 115000 in the Idlib and northern Aleppo province, and indicated that in addition to the current conflict, more than a million Syrian have been displaced during the war that has lasted for thirteen years.
Despite the rebels’ recent capture of most part of Aleppo, Turkey, home to nearly 3m Syrian refugees have warned against any early withdrawals. “It’s not safe yet,” Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, urging those considering going back to wait until the situation stabilizes.
A War Without an End in Sight
The Syrian conflict, which began in 2011, has drawn in a web of international players. Turkey has sided with the opposition, while Russia and Iran continue to be Assad’s closest friends. On Wednesday, Moscow stated that it is still in “close contact” with Tehran and Ankara over the matter.
For the time being, the emphasis is still on Hama, where the struggle for dominance may decide the course of this bloody and protracted conflict. As the sound of artillery fire and airstrikes continues to reverberate across the region, both combatants and residents are preparing for what lies next.
