Syrian authorities forces launched a counterattack in opposition to Islamist-led rebels round the important thing metropolis of Hama on Wednesday after struggling a string of staggering losses, a battle monitor mentioned.
Hama is strategically positioned in central Syria and for the military, it’s key to safeguarding the capital and seat of energy Damascus.
The combating round Hama follows a lightning offensive by the Islamist-led rebels who in a matter of days seized swathes of territory from President Bashar al-Assad’s management.
Key within the rebels’ successes because the begin of the offensive final week has been the takeover of Aleppo, Syria’s second metropolis, which in additional than a decade of battle had by no means fallen from authorities arms.
In Aleppo, a medical scholar instructed AFP that employees on the hospital the place he labored had been “largely absent, with departments working at 50 p.c capability”.
“We attempt to are inclined to emergency circumstances that come to the hospital, utilizing medical provides sparingly,” he mentioned on situation of anonymity.
Whereas the advancing rebels discovered little resistance earlier of their offensive, the combating round Hama has been particularly fierce.
Town was the scene of a bloodbath by the military beneath Assad’s father within the Nineteen Eighties concentrating on folks accused of loyalty to the banned Muslim Brotherhood.
A long time on, the scars of the bloodbath that despatched hundreds of Syrians into exile have but to heal, and Hama was the location of among the greatest protests early on within the pro-democracy revolt that erupted in 2011 and sparked the civil battle.
By Tuesday, insurgent forces had reached the gates of Hama metropolis, based on the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, because the combating sparked a wave of displacement.
AFP photos confirmed folks fleeing the city of Suran, between Aleppo and Hama, a lot of them carrying no matter they might take aboard their autos.
In line with the Britain-based Observatory, “regime forces launched a counterattack” in Hama province on Wednesday with air help on the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels and allied factions.
Authorities forces pushed HTS away from the provincial capital by about 10 kilometres (six miles), the Observatory mentioned, reporting fierce battles as rebels failed of their bid to seize an space close to town.
– ‘Nowhere to flee’ –
Syrian state information company SANA additionally reported the battle round Hama, saying the military was conducting operations in opposition to “terrorist organisations” within the north of the province.
Wassim, a 36-year-old supply driver who lives in Hama metropolis, mentioned that “the sounds had been actually terrifying, and the continual bombing may very well be clearly heard.”
“I will keep dwelling as a result of I’ve nowhere else to flee to,” he mentioned.
Whereas Hama metropolis was a bastion of opposition to Assad’s rule early within the battle, the province can be dwelling to a sizeable Alawite group, followers of the identical offshoot of Shiite Islam because the president.
The rebels launched their offensive on November 27, the exact same day {that a} ceasefire took impact within the battle between the Israeli navy and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.
Iran-backed Hezbollah is a key backer of Assad’s authorities and earlier within the battle helped prop up his rule.
However it suffered a shocking collection of blows in its year-long battle with Israel, which started after the group launched cross-border assaults in help of its Palestinian ally Hamas.
Through the battle in Lebanon, Hezbollah needed to pull again a few of its fighters from Syria to concentrate on its dwelling entrance.
Russia has additionally been key to preserving Assad in energy, instantly intervening in Syria’s battle in 2015, nevertheless it too has been mired in its personal battle in Ukraine.
Nonetheless, the Russian air drive is conducting joint raids with the Syrian navy, together with in Hama province, based on the Observatory.
Russia, Iran and Turkey are in “shut contact” over the battle in Syria, Moscow mentioned Wednesday.
Whereas Russia and Iran each again Assad, Turkey has backed the opposition.
Till final week the battle in Syria had been principally dormant for a number of years, however analysts have mentioned violence was sure to flare up because it was by no means really resolved.
In line with the United Nations, 50,000 folks have been displaced by the newest combating because it started final Wednesday.
The Observatory says the violence has killed 602 folks, principally combatants but additionally 104 civilians.
– ‘Unfold very skinny’ –
Since 2011, Syria’s battle has killed greater than 500,000 folks and compelled tens of millions extra to flee their houses.
Lots of those that took half within the preliminary protests that sparked the battle at the moment are lifeless, in jail or dwelling in exile.
“Many policymakers thought, properly, Assad gained, there isn’t any battle,” mentioned Rim Turkmani, director of the Syria Battle Analysis Programme on the London College of Economics.
However “we have been worrying about this for years, that the truth that there isn’t any intense violence does not imply that the battle is over,” she instructed AFP.
Whereas the rebels could have superior swiftly, it doesn’t imply they may have the capability to carry onto the territory they’ve captured.
Spearheading the insurgent alliance is HTS, which is rooted in Syria’s Al-Qaeda department.
“It’s totally properly organised, very ideologically pushed,” Turkmani mentioned.
“Nonetheless, they unfold in a short time and really skinny. And I believe in a short time they will realise it is past their capability to take care of these areas and, most significantly, to control them.”
