A significant number of individuals are evacuating Syria’s third-largest city, Homs, due to concerns that Islamist-led insurgents will continue their progression toward the capital, Damascus.
On Thursday, the rebels captured Hama to the north, marking a second substantial setback for President Bashar al-Assad, who recently lost control of Aleppo.
Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, the leader of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), addressed the residents of Homs, stating, “your time has come.”
Last week, Syrian rebels initiated an unexpected offensive against the government, successfully seizing two major cities thus far. Their advance is directed southward, with Homs positioned as the next target on the route from Aleppo to Damascus. Members of President Assad’s Alawite minority community are fleeing Homs in fear, as video footage reveals congested roads filled with vehicles.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a monitoring organization based in the UK, reports that fighter jets have struck a bridge connecting Homs and Hama in an attempt to impede the rebels’ progress.
Following the Syrian military’s loss of Hama after several days of conflict, it remains uncertain whether they can effectively defend Homs.
This city holds strategic importance as it connects the capital to the Alawite stronghold along the Mediterranean coast, which is crucial for Assad’s political power and control.
Since the onset of the civil war in 2011, more than half a million individuals have lost their lives, following the government’s violent crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy demonstrations.
The rebel offensive, which commenced nine days ago, represents the most rapid military advancement by either faction since the beginning of the civil war.
According to the SOHR, over 820 individuals, including 111 civilians, have been reported killed across the nation to date.
HTS fighters and their allies recently seized control of Hama central prison, liberating inmates amidst intense combat, while the military announced a redeployment of troops to positions outside the city.
Hama, which has a population of one million, is located 110 kilometers (70 miles) south of Aleppo. The rebels captured Aleppo the previous week following a surprise offensive launched from their stronghold in the northwest.
President Assad has pledged to “crush” the rebels, accusing Western nations of attempting to alter the regional landscape, while his principal allies, Russia and Iran, have extended their “unconditional support.”
Historically, President Assad has depended on Russia and Iran to suppress his adversaries.
Russian airstrikes on rebel-controlled regions have intensified, and Iran-backed militias have dispatched fighters to bolster the government’s defensive positions. Iran has also expressed its readiness to deploy additional forces to Syria if requested.
However, with both allies currently engaged in their own issues, it remains uncertain how, or if, he will be able to halt an advance that poses a threat to the survival of his government. Meanwhile, the United Nations has reported that the ongoing conflict is exacerbating an already dire situation for civilians in the northern part of the country.
Approximately 280,000 individuals have been displaced, predominantly women and children, with some civilians trapped in frontline areas and unable to reach safer locations.
In Aleppo, a city with a population of two million, essential services and critical infrastructure—including hospitals, bakeries, power stations, water supply, internet, and telecommunications—are either disrupted or non-operational due to shortages of supplies and personnel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called upon “all those with influence to do their part” in efforts to bring an end to the civil war.
