Civil war in Syria escalates as rebels take Hama

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By Ryan Denison, PhD - Posted at Denison Forum:

Wrestling with complicated truths and simple lies

The civil war in Syria began in 2011, however, the conflict has remained largely frozen since Turkey and Russia agreed to a ceasefire in 2020. That all changed when rebel forces—now led by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—attacked and took control of the pivotal city of Aleppo last week.

At the time, the speed and success with which they regained their former stronghold surprised most, and it was generally unknown whether they would seek to consolidate their power there or continue to press further south.

That question was answered Thursday when HTS took the nation’s fourth-largest city, Hama, with similar ease.

The Syrian government’s official line was that their forces withdrew in order to “preserve the lives of civilians,” but it was relatively clear that the armies that had controlled the region since the start of the conflict were simply overwhelmed by the rebel forces. And their victory at Hama could prove even more important than taking Aleppo.

While Aleppo was a significant loss for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and meant a great deal symbolically to the rebel forces who lost the city in 2016, controlling Hama will make it much more difficult for the Syrian forces to retake any of the lands they’ve ceded over the last week. Moreover, Hama is also where Assad’s father killed tens of thousands who sought to enact a similar regime change in 1982, and where the current war began in 2011 after Assad was similarly forceful in putting an end to the protests against his reign.

For all his recent losses, Assad remains in a fairly secure position for the time being. Much would have to change for HTS to have a chance at taking Damascus, the Syrian capital.

However, should the rebels gain control of Homs—a major city roughly 25 miles south of Hama—that picture would look much different. And the reason why is relevant beyond the Syrian borders.



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