Syrian opposition forces claimed Thursday they have penetrated parts of Hama, a crucial government stronghold, following three days of intense fighting that comes on the heels of their stunning capture of Aleppo last week.
While Syrian state media acknowledged fierce clashes on Hama’s eastern outskirts, they denied insurgents had breached the city limits. Hama’s fall would represent another major setback for President Bashar Assad, who has maintained control of the strategic central city throughout Syria’s conflict since 2011.
The offensive is spearheaded by the jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. “Our forces are taking positions inside the city of Hama,” claimed Major Hassan Abdul-Ghani on the insurgents’ Military Operations Department Telegram channel.
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported opposition fighters have entered the Sawaaeq and Zahiriyeh neighborhoods in northwest Hama, with forces also positioning near the Kazo district. “If Hama falls, it means that the beginning of the regime’s fall has started,” Observatory chief Rami Abdurrahman told The Associated Press.
Hama’s strategic significance stems from its position connecting Syria’s center, north, east, and west, lying about 200 kilometers north of Damascus. The city carries historical weight from the 1982 massacre when security forces under Assad’s father killed thousands to suppress a Muslim Brotherhood uprising.
The renewed fighting has displaced tens of thousands since November 27, as Assad’s traditional backers remain preoccupied with other conflicts.
apnews
