Turkey-backed Islamic militants capture Hama, forcing army out

Turkey-backed Islamic militants enter Hama, forcing army to withdraw — An Islamic jihadi militants from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as al-Nusra Front, fire a multi-barrel rocket launcher at Assad regime forces on the northern outskirts of Hama, a city in western-central Syria, on December 4, 2024. Photo: AFP

HAMA,— Turkey-backed Syrian Islamist forces successfully captured Hama on Thursday after pushing pro-government troops out of the city. This marks a significant victory following their rapid advance across northern Syria and deals a serious setback to President Bashar al-Assad and his allies, Russia and Iran, who have been striving to maintain control in the region.

According to reports from the Syrian army, the government forces have begun to redeploy from Hama to avoid urban combat and protect civilian lives after intense fighting. The jihadi militants stated that they had captured multiple districts in the city’s northeastern area and had taken control of the central prison, freeing the detained prisoners.

Al Jazeera television aired footage of Islamists in Hama, showing them interacting with civilians and driving military vehicles through the streets. The rebels’ advance follows their recent capture of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and their southern push from their stronghold in northwest Syria.

The fall of Hama, a key government-held city throughout the civil war, is a major blow to Assad’s regime. It raises fears that rebel forces could continue their march southward, threatening other government-controlled areas.

Hama’s capture is especially significant, as it is strategically located along the route between Aleppo and Damascus, with the potential to pave the way for attacks on other key cities, such as Homs.

President Assad’s government has relied heavily on Russian and Iranian support during the war, which allowed it to regain control of much of the country. However, over the past week, the collapse of pro-government forces in northern Syria has exposed the ongoing vulnerabilities of the Assad alliance. Russia has been increasingly preoccupied with the war in Ukraine, and Iran’s Hezbollah forces in Syria have suffered heavy losses in their own conflicts.

Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the leader of the most powerful Islamic jihadi faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), former Al Nusra Front, issued a video message calling on Iraq’s Prime Minister to prevent Iraqi forces from intervening in Syria. He warned that the conflict should not spread further across the region.

Historically, Hama has been a center of opposition to Assad’s family rule. In 1982, the city witnessed a brutal crackdown by the government, which killed thousands of people in response to a Muslim Brotherhood uprising. Al-Golani referred to this tragic event, calling the rebels’ entry into the city a step towards “cleansing the wound that has persisted in Syria for 40 years.”

Despite the victory, many religious minorities in the region remain wary of the Islamist rebels. HTS, formerly an al-Qaeda affiliate, has made efforts to reassure minorities, promising to protect them, but fears of the insurgents persist.

As the Islamists consolidate their hold on Aleppo, they face challenges of their own. There are reports of shortages of basic supplies like bread and fuel in the city, and telecom services have been disrupted.

HTS and its allies are working to establish a governance system in the northwest, controlled by their Salvation Government.

The insurgents advancing towards Hama include the Islamic mercenary militants from the so-called Syrian National Army, a coalition backed by Turkey, which controls a border area along the Syrian-Turkish frontier.

Turkey has long supported various Islamic jihadi factions, although it has denied involvement in the recent advances in Aleppo. As the war intensifies, Turkey’s role could become crucial to the future of Syria’s opposition.

The resurgence of full-scale fighting after years of stalled conflict raises concerns about further instability in the region, which is already grappling with tensions in Gaza and Lebanon.

The chaotic situation in Syria has previously allowed groups like ISIS to thrive, using the country as a base for launching attacks worldwide. The continued conflict in Syria remains a key concern for both regional and global powers.

(With files from Reuters)