After a brief setback on Wednesday, Syrian rebels were now apparently able to enter the strategically important city of Hama. On Thursday, fighters “entered Hama from different sides” and engaged in “street battles with (Assad) regime forces in several districts of the city,” the London-based Observatory for Human Rights said.
The Syrian army admitted that it had lost control of the city. The troops were withdrawn to the outskirts of the city to “protect the lives of civilians and prevent fighting in the city,” the report said. According to their own statements, the fighters took over a large prison in the city and released prisoners. “Our forces have entered Hama’s central prison and released hundreds of wrongly imprisoned prisoners,” Hassan Abdel Ghani, a military leader of the Islamist fighters, said on the online service Telegram.
Activists had previously reported that the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) had cut roads between Hama and Raqqa and between Hama and Aleppo. Three villages east of Hama were also captured.
The city of Hama in the western center of Syria is located between Aleppo in the north and Damascus in the south and is of great importance for the protection of the capital, approximately 220 kilometers away. The government of ruler Bashar al-Assad tried to stop the advance on Hama and sent reinforcements.
Rebels promise to protect religious minorities
Assad’s forces are supported by the Russian army and Shiite militias, who in turn are protected by Iran. Iran and Russia are the closest allies of the Syrian president. The most powerful group among the rebels is the HTS, the former branch of al-Qaeda in Syria. Their leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has promised to protect religious minorities, but there are major concerns about the insurgents. The capture of Hama opens the possibility for the rebels to advance on Homs, the main city in central Syria.
In the middle of last week, an alliance of rebels led by HTS launched an offensive in northwestern Syria and took control of Aleppo, the country’s second-largest city, over the weekend. The front line has now moved about 130 kilometers south around the city of Hama. According to the Observatory, more than 570 people have been killed in the recent fighting, including almost 100 civilians.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
