Thu Dec 05 13:15:22 UTC 2024: ## Syrian Rebels Capture Hama, Major Setback for Assad Regime
**BEIRUT, December 5, 2024** – Syrian rebels have seized control of Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city, marking a significant blow to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. The Syrian army announced its withdrawal from the city on Thursday, citing a redeployment to protect civilians after days of intense fighting.
The offensive, launched three days prior, was spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadi group and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. The rebels utilized suicide attacks to breach Hama’s defenses, resulting in heavy casualties for the Syrian army.
Hama’s capture follows the rebels’ recent stunning victory in Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, which was retaken by Assad’s forces in 2016 with the help of Russia. This renewed offensive, beginning November 27th, has displaced tens of thousands and significantly shifted the balance of power in the ongoing Syrian civil war.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based war monitor, described the battle for Hama as fierce and stated that the city’s fall signifies a potential turning point in the conflict. The rebels are now reportedly targeting Homs, Syria’s third-largest city.
The resurgence of rebel activity comes as Assad’s primary regional and international allies are embroiled in their own conflicts, leaving his regime more vulnerable. The capture of Hama, a strategically important city connecting Syria’s center with the north, east, and west, represents a major setback for Assad, whose forces had maintained full control of the city since the start of the conflict in 2011. The city also holds historical significance as the site of a 1982 massacre committed by Assad’s father.
First Piper 