Syrian rebels advanced in the direction of Damascus
Syrian rebels stormed into the city of Hama yesterday as government forces withdrew in another stunning setback for President Bashar al-Assad. A rebel commander said on social media that their adversaries were in “a significant state of confusion,” with government soldiers and commanders abandoning their posts.
The advance on Hama comes just days after the rebels seized Aleppo, a major hub in the north. It has also shifted the front lines for the first time in a 13-year-old civil war that has ravaged Syria and created a refugee crisis for many of its neighbors.
What’s next: In a video circulated by the rebel group leading the offensive, their leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, called for the rebels to push on toward other cities, including the capital, Damascus. Read more about the rebels leading the offensive.
Context: Analysts attribute the rebels’ shocking success to the attrition of the civil war on al-Assad’s forces. In addition, the allies who have supported Syria’s forces — notably Russia, Iran and Hezbollah — are now preoccupied with their own crises.