BEIRUT — On Wednesday, Syria announced significant progress in its counteroffensive, successfully pushing back insurgents who were trying to advance towards the vital city of Hama. In contrast, rebel forces claimed to have captured additional Syrian soldiers and Iran-affiliated militants during intense confrontations.
The recent violence escalates in the ongoing Syrian civil war, which has lasted for more than a decade and resulted in an estimated half a million deaths. This increase in hostilities follows the insurgents’ recent capture of significant areas in Aleppo, the largest city in the country, as well as several towns and villages in the southern regions of northwestern Idlib province.
According to Syrian state media SANA, insurgent forces have retreated approximately 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the government-controlled area of Hama, which ranks as the fourth largest city in Syria. Syrian troops, supported by Russian airpower, have established defensive positions on the city’s outskirts amidst prolonged and fierce clashes. Concerns have arisen in Damascus about a potential infiltration of insurgents into Hama, similar to their recent advances in Aleppo.
The insurgents, through their Military Operations Department on the Telegram app, reported the capture of five militants aligned with Iran, including two from Afghanistan, and three Syrian soldiers from the 25th Special Mission Forces Division in eastern Hama. Independent verification of these claims remains unavailable.
Should the insurgents manage to take control of Hama city and its surrounding province, they risk isolating key coastal cities such as Tartous and Lattakia from the rest of the nation. Lattakia is particularly significant as a political stronghold for President Bashar Assad and the Alawite community, in addition to being home to a critical Russian naval base.
The violent conflict that erupted last week has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of individuals, as noted by Geir Pedersen, the U.N. special envoy for Syria. Speaking to the U.N. Security Council, he expressed concerns that without de-escalation and progress towards a serious political negotiation involving key Syrian parties and international stakeholders, the situation could worsen dramatically. He warned that Syria could face further division and devastation.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a jihadi group, leads the insurgency, along with the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, an umbrella group of militias. Over the years, both factions have solidified their presence in northwest Idlib province and parts of northern Aleppo, as the war-torn nation has dealt with prolonged political and military standoffs.
These groups, with Turkey’s backing, advocate that President Assad must seek reconciliation with opposition factions and integrate them into any political resolution to conclude the conflict. Ankara is actively trying to improve relations with Syria to tackle security issues stemming from Kurdish-affiliated groups along its southern border and to facilitate the safe return of over 3 million Syrian refugees. However, Assad has made clear that Turkey’s withdrawal of its military presence from northern Syria is a prerequisite for any normalization of relations between the countries.
Damascus categorizes the insurgents as terrorists, with Assad asserting his determination to counter them decisively. In an effort to address the escalating tensions, Turkish and Iranian officials convened earlier this week. Meanwhile, neighboring Arab nations, once supportive of groups attempting to oust Assad, have expressed alarm over the potential regional ramifications of the ongoing conflict and have shown support for the Syrian president.
