Syrian rebels marched toward the capital Damascus on Saturday, engaging government forces in a bid to take control of the key city of Homs. The move puts President Bashar al-Assad's nearly 30 years in power in jeopardy, Reuters reported.
It is the first time rebel forces have appeared outside Damascus since 2018, when the Syrian army retook the area after years of siege, according to the Associated Press.
This was announced by the US Embassy in Syria.emergency alert Residents were encouraged to evacuate on Saturday as conflict escalated in the region.
Here's a breakdown of the rapidly evolving conflict.
Why has the Syrian civil war flared up again?
Syria's civil war began during the Arab Spring in 2011, when the regime tried to stop a pro-democracy uprising against al-Assad. The rebel Free Syrian Army emerged against government forces.
However, about 70 percent of the country remains under al-Assad's regime.
After 13 years of conflict, An estimated 500,000 people were killedAccording to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR). The United Nations Refugee Agency estimates that: 14 million Syrians They are forced to flee their homes.
Recently, the Rebels seized the opportunity to: resume the fight As al-Assad's main supporters Iran, Russia and Hezbollah currently occupied with other conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
The rebel advance on the capital follows the withdrawal of Syrian forces from much of southern Syria, resulting in more areas becoming insurgent territory, according to a rebel war monitor and rebel commander. It is said to have remained under the control of militants. reported By AP. According to Reuters, the rebels were within 20 miles of the capital.
The Associated Press said last week's invasion was “one of the largest incursions by rebels in recent years” with al-Qaida origins and “encountered little resistance” from the Syrian army.
The move comes after various rebel groups, including the militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), moved towards Aleppo, one of the country's largest cities, last week. This is the first time this has happened since 2016.
What does the Syrian civil war look like on the ground?
The Associated Press reported that thousands of people are attempting to leave Syria amid the violence. The Associated Press heard from residents that some supplies were stockpiled as many stores closed.
Reuters reported that demonstrators toppled a statue of President al-Assad's father in Damascus and also caused power outages in the capital. Posters of President al-Assad and his father were torn down by protesters without resistance from the military or police, Reuters reported.
The Associated Press reported that the country's state media denied rumors circulating on social media that President al-Assad had left the country and was in Damascus.
The shocking rebel attacks, which began on November 26, have reignited a conflict that has largely subsided since March 2020, when Russia and Turkey brokered a ceasefire in northern Syria, CNN reported. I let it happen.
Many of the towns and villages affected by the advance in Aleppo's northern province have been controlled by the al-Assad regime, backed by Iran and Russia, since 2016, Reuters reported.
The developments last week mainly affected rural areas in northwestern Syria, forcing residents to flee their neighborhoods and killing dozens of fighters on both sides, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, according to the Associated Press.
Who is fighting?
The Syrian government of President Al Assad has contributed to the civil war that began in 2011. He has ruled the country since 2000, but his family has been in power since 1970.
The peaceful protests of the 2011 Arab Spring were met with a harsh reaction from the al-Assad regime, sparking riots across the country.
Over the years of war, the government has regained much territory from Syrian rebels, The New York Times reported. reported.
According to the Times, HTS, originally from the Islamic State and later al-Qaeda, is one of the rebel groups formed to fight the al-Assad regime in the early years of the civil war.
Al Assad also has foreign allies, including Russia, Iran, and Lebanon's Hezbollah.
However, some opposition groups, such as the Syrian National Army, are supported by Türkiye. According to the Times, Turkey has de facto power in Syria's northern border region and has launched military operations against mainly Syrian Kurdish-led forces since the start of the civil war.
Syria's Kurdish minority has become a “key local partner” for the Syrian Democratic Forces in the fight against the largely defeated Islamic State group, according to the Times.
