By Muhammad Haj Kadour and Vivian Yee
On Sunday, rebel forces made territorial gains in Syria amidst intense clashes, seizing control of the airport and military academy in Aleppo while launching attacks on the fringes of Hama, as reported by rebel representatives and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
Loyalist troops under President Bashar Assad were engaged in efforts to halt the advances, urgently transporting reinforcements and conducting air strikes over Aleppo, according to the Observatory.
The rebels had taken significant portions of Aleppo the day prior in an unexpected offensive. They now occupy an extensive area across Hama, Idlib, and Aleppo provinces in western and northwestern Syria, as detailed by officials from the rebel-aligned administration and the Observatory, a Britain-based war monitoring group.
In a further indication of their growing power, the rebels announced control over all of Idlib and demanded that Kurdish forces in Aleppo withdraw with their arms to the northeast.
The New York Times noted the presence of rebels in areas of Hama province as well as neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo and surrounding rural regions that had only days ago been held by government forces.
Outside Hama, numerous Syrian government military vehicles were observed abandoned on the roads, seemingly left by fleeing soldiers after running out of fuel.
The Observatory reported that government troops were struggling to defend Hama against an impending takeover, with reinforcements reaching to secure defensive positions around the city and nearby locales. Additionally, Syrian government aircraft were bombarding areas now under rebel control, including numerous sites within Aleppo, resulting in many civilian casualties, according to the monitor.
The report mentioned that government forces were benefiting from assistance by Russian fighter jets, targeting locations throughout the countryside near Hama and Idlib provinces.
Russia, allied with Assad, has continuously offered support since the onset of the civil war in 2011, triggered by protests against his authoritarian regime that led to a severe military backlash. Russian warplanes are stationed in Syria and were crucial in Assad’s recovery of Aleppo from rebels in 2016. Assad also relies on military and diplomatic backing from Iran and the Hezbollah militia of Lebanon.
The coalition of rebels is primarily led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was once associated with al-Qaida but officially distanced itself from the terrorist organization years ago. Turkish-backed rebel factions have also joined the fight.
The United States designates Hayat Tahrir al-Sham as a terrorist group, and Jake Sullivan, national security adviser to President Joe Biden, expressed significant concerns regarding the objectives and plans of the organization during an interview with CNN on Sunday.
“Nonetheless, we are not upset about the pressure being faced by the Assad government, which is supported by Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah,” Sullivan stated on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
A National Security Council spokesperson, Sean Savett, declared on Saturday, “The United States is not involved in this offensive.”
Savett added, “The United States, in coalition with its partners and allies, encourages de-escalation, the protection of civilians and minority groups, and a credible political process to ultimately resolve this civil war.”
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham originated as what was previously known as the Nusra Front, an extremist faction established as an affiliate of al-Qaida, gaining recognition early on in Syria’s civil strife. However, by 2017, it adopted a more pragmatic strategy compared to other extremist groups, focusing on consolidating its power in Idlib rather than launching extensive offensives against Assad’s forces, according to analysts.
The organization pitched its actions as a definitive separation from al-Qaida, even apprehending individuals linked to the terrorist group, as noted by experts who have examined Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.
It engaged with Western humanitarian organizations, journalists, and scholars. Moreover, it aimed to connect Idlib’s economy to the global market, enhance agricultural and industrial development, and establish a government that offered limited services to its populace.
With a shift away from its rhetoric about creating an Islamic state in Syria, the group’s leadership expressed a desire to replace the Assad regime with one more loosely aligned with Islamic values. Although its interpretation of Islam is still quite conservative, its governance is significantly less severe and rigid than that of the Islamic State group, according to analysts.
It now seems to be looking to expand that authority into Aleppo.
A statement from the Syrian government indicated that Assad had discussions with leaders from the United Arab Emirates and Iraq on Saturday, pledging that Syria would “overcome the terrorists, no matter the force of their assaults.” Syrian officials consistently label rebel forces as terrorists.
Iraq’s president, Masoud Pezeshkian, commented on Syria’s situation in parliament on Sunday, suggesting that “Islamic nations need to act to deter the United States and Israel from taking advantage of the internal discord and to prevent the continuation of these crises.”
Moreover, the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, traveled to Damascus, Syria, on Sunday. Iranian diplomat Ali Moujani stated on the social media platform X that the foreign minister’s visit was an act of solidarity with the Syrian government.
The Syrian military announced over the weekend that its operations to repel the rebels were “successfully” proceeding and indicated a forthcoming counteroffensive. They sought to discredit reports of rebel encroachments, accusing armed factions of disseminating “false news” to “weaken the resolve of our populace and our valorous army.”
Across the territory that had reverted to rebel control, videos showed individuals ripping down Syrian government flags and images of Assad, including fighters and former residents of Aleppo returning to their homes for the first time in years. Photographs taken in Aleppo also captured the dismantling of a statue that appeared to portray Bassel Assad, the president’s elder brother.
