Yuri Kobzar18:13, 07.12.24

The Assad regime has found itself in the grip of a rapid offensive by several rebel groups attacking from different directions.

As Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces prepare to storm the key city of Homs , other Syrian rebel groups are making significant advances in southern and eastern Syria, Reuters reports .

“Since rebels stormed Aleppo a week ago, government defenses have been crumbling across the country at breakneck speed, as rebels have captured a number of major cities and risen up in places where the uprising had long seemed over,” the publication says.

The Islamists of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham said they were already “at the walls” of Homs after capturing the last village on its northern outskirts late Friday. The capture of Homs would cut the government-controlled territory into two separate parts – with the capital Damascus in the south and the strategically important region of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast. Latakia is not only the location of two important Russian bases – naval and air – but also the place of compact residence of the Alawite religious minority, the backbone of the Assad regime.

A Syrian military officer said there was a lull in fighting on Saturday morning after intense airstrikes on rebels overnight, and that a large convoy of troops and vehicles had been redeployed from Palmyra, a key city in the central desert, to help defend Homs.

However, the decision to withdraw troops from Palmyra had disastrous consequences. According to the Turkish Anadolu Agency , rebels from another group took control of the city along with nearby villages. Palmyra was one of the important points for which fierce fighting took place in the first half of the Syrian war. Thanks to the help of the Russian Federation, the government army was able to capture Palmyra in 2017. Then Russia made control of Palmyra one of the pillars of its propaganda regarding the Syrian war.

However, the loss of Palmyra now seems to be the least of the Assad regime’s problems. South of Damascus, another rebel bloc, which in recent years was considered “peaceful”, although not under government control, is launching a highly successful offensive. Against the backdrop of the successful offensive of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in the north, the southern alliance has broken off agreements with the government and is now advancing on the Syrian capital. In particular, these rebel groups already control the important southern cities of Deraa, Suwayda and Quneitra.

In fact, the government in Damascus no longer has direct access to the borders with Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey. External aid could theoretically come only from Lebanon, but there Israel has already defeated the main forces of Hezbollah.

Also, until Homs is taken, Bashar Assad’s government can still count on Russian assistance through the ports in Latakia.

(C)UNIAN 2024