Syria in turmoil: Rebel advances displace 280,000 civilians
Ongoing battles for more than a week between rebels and the government army in northern Syria have forced over 280,000 people to leave their homes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reports 727 fatalities, including 111 civilians. On Thursday, the rebels captured the city of Hama, paving their way to Homs.
The World Food Programme (WFP) stated on social media that the displacement of so many people further exacerbates the long-standing suffering of Syria's civilian population.
Rebels have an open road to Homs
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for international aid for the people of Syria, emphasizing that all sides of the conflict have an obligation to protect civilians.
The campaign by rebels against the forces of Bashar al-Assad's regime began on November 27. In a lightning offensive, they have already captured Aleppo, the second-largest city in the country.
On Thursday, jihadists entered Hama, opening their path to Homs. Capturing Homs could cut off Damascus from the coast, which is a stronghold of the Alawite religious group (from which Assad hails). On the coast, there are also Russian military bases—air and naval—which support the regime in Damascus. Russian and Syrian air forces are conducting airstrikes on rebel-held areas.
The government army reported that on Thursday it fought intensively to maintain control of Hama but ultimately withdrew "to preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat." However, soldiers remain near Hama.
The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohamed al-Golani, announced the capture of Hama and warned the Iraqi authorities against supporting Assad through pro-Iranian militias known as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF).
PMF, recognized as part of the so-called axis of resistance—a network of armed organizations supported by Iran—includes, among others, Lebanese Hezbollah, Yemeni Houthi rebels, Palestinian Hamas, and pro-government militias in Syria. This alliance has a distinctly anti-Israeli and anti-American nature.
Iran, alongside Russia, remains Assad's main ally. Thanks to support from Tehran and Moscow, the regime in Damascus has managed to regain control over most of the country in the civil war ongoing since 2011, which has claimed at least half a million lives. Most of the fighting ended in 2020, but the current clashes are the most serious since that time.
According to Reuters sources, about 300 pro-Iranian militia fighters from Iraq have arrived in Syria. However, PMF denies that these are members of the organization.
Commentators point out that the rebels' successes stem from the weakening of Assad's allies. Russia is focusing its efforts on aggression against Ukraine, ongoing for nearly three years, while Iran and its allies, such as Lebanese Hezbollah, are engaged in conflict with Israel.
Forces opposing Assad are divided into numerous factions that often remain in conflict with each other. The main external patron of the rebels is Turkey, which declares it does not directly support HTS.
However, the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) is fighting government forces. Fighters from this organization have also been conducting an offensive against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control the northeastern part of Syria and are supported by the West.
