Amman: Syrian rebels announced on Thursday that they had begun advancing into Hama, a key city where pro-government forces, supported by heavy Russian airstrikes, are fighting to prevent a new rebel victory and halt the insurgents' rapid progress. Rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany shared on social media that the insurgents had started infiltrating the city, though state media initially claimed that pro-government forces had repelled the attack.
The fighting has been intense since Tuesday, as rebels have tried to breach Hama, clashing overnight with the Syrian army and Iran-backed militias, both of which are receiving Russian air support. The rebels recently captured Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and have since been advancing southward from their stronghold in northwest Syria. By Tuesday, they had reached a strategic hill north of Hama and had begun pushing toward the city’s eastern and western edges by Wednesday.
Hama has remained under government control throughout the civil war, which began in 2011 as an uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. If the rebels manage to take Hama, it would be a major blow to Damascus and its Russian and Iranian allies. The city is located about a third of the way between Aleppo and Damascus, and its capture would open the path to a rebel offensive on Homs, a central city that serves as a key junction for Syria's most populous regions.
Hama is also vital for control over the towns of Muhrada, home to many Christians, and Salamiya, which has a significant Ismaili Muslim population. The most powerful rebel faction, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist group once affiliated with al-Qaeda, has vowed to protect Syria’s religious minorities, although there remains significant fear of the insurgents among these communities.
On Wednesday, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani visited Aleppo’s historic citadel, a symbolic moment following their expulsion from the city in 2016 after months of siege and fierce fighting. Since then, the rebels have been working to consolidate control over Aleppo and bring it under the administration of their self-declared Salvation Government.
Residents of Aleppo have reported shortages of bread, fuel, and telecommunications services. While Russia and Iran have been pivotal in helping Assad regain much of Syria from 2015 to 2020, their focus has been diverted in recent months. Moscow is preoccupied with the war in Ukraine, and Hezbollah, Iran's key regional ally, has sustained significant losses to Israel in Lebanon.
Russian airstrikes in northern Syria have intensified sharply in the past week, and Iran-backed militias from Iraq have reinforced the front lines, sending fighters across the border on Monday.