December 1st 2024.
A group of anti-government fighters in Syria recently posed for a picture on a tank, capturing a moment of camaraderie amidst the ongoing chaos in the country. For the past 13 years, Syria has been embroiled in a devastating civil war, and the situation has only escalated in recent weeks as a new coalition, led by Jihadist forces, has launched a fierce campaign to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad's regime.
One of the key battlegrounds in this conflict is Aleppo, where the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham has gained control and expanded their territory to neighboring cities like Hama and Idlib. The Syrian army, loyal to Assad, has been fighting to push them back, while Russia has also joined in, launching a series of airstrikes in the northwest region, including Aleppo, which they had not targeted since 2016.
This recent outbreak of violence is the most significant in Syria's civil war in recent years, causing a great deal of embarrassment for President Assad, who had previously promised to punish any attackers. The death toll has risen to over 370, including at least 20 civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. To help make sense of the ongoing fighting, Metro has prepared an explainer with all the necessary information.
The civil war in Syria began in 2011, sparked by an uprising during the Arab Spring. Protests against Assad's authoritarian regime were met with brutal crackdowns, leading to the formation of armed opposition groups and ultimately plunging the country into a full-scale war. Over the years, Assad's forces have been in constant conflict with various opposition groups, resulting in the deaths of over 300,000 people and displacing nearly six million refugees.
The conflict has also drawn in global powers, with Russia, Iran, Turkey, and the US all backing different sides. In 2020, Russia and Turkey agreed to a ceasefire in the last remaining opposition-held province, Idlib, and even established a security corridor with joint patrols. However, tensions have risen again, and Syria's government has yet to regain control of all its territory.
The current offensive by the rebels began on Wednesday, with the formation of a new coalition called the "Military Operations Command." They quickly swept through villages on the outskirts of Aleppo, with the primary force being Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a group that was once affiliated with al-Qaeda. Their goal is to establish Islamic rule in Syria by overthrowing the current regime, and they have been a dangerous opposition force since the beginning of the civil war.
Although HTS remains under the leadership of Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, their goals have shifted somewhat since breaking away from al-Qaeda. However, the United Nations still considers them a terrorist group. Meanwhile, Russian fighter jets have been conducting airstrikes in support of Assad's forces, targeting both militants and civilians in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. President Vladimir Putin has been a staunch supporter of Assad since the early days of the war, providing military, political, and economic backing. In 2015, Russia launched a significant intervention, turning the tide in Assad's favor.
Putin's support for Assad is driven by strategic interests, such as maintaining a naval base in Tartus and preserving influence in the Middle East. This has led to Russia's involvement in the ongoing conflict, which shows no signs of ending anytime soon. As the fighting continues, innocent civilians are caught in the crossfire, and the already devastated country faces even more destruction and turmoil.
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