The Syrian rebels are taking advantage of the moment when the most important allies of the Syrian dictator have weakened or are engaged in war in another part of the world. – Syria deserves an institutional system of government, not one that serves individuals, like the Assad regime. There must be a framework that protects and guarantees the rights of all citizens, said Hayat Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani in an interview with CNN.
In Hama, the fourth largest city in Syria, the regime of Bashar al-Assad has fallen. After anti-government fighters took control of the city, protesters toppled a statue of the former Syrian leader and father of the current president.
– We have been waiting for this day for a long time. We are going out, we welcome freedom! This is the happiest day for us, said the resident of Hama Muhammad Sabahi.
On December 5, the jihadist forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, after several days of fighting, occupied Hama, a city with a population of about one million and strategic importance for the defense of Damascus, located about 200 kilometers away. The insurgents took control of the police station, the airbase and the prison of the city and freed hundreds of people from it.
– The city of Hama was liberated by our heroic fighters from the hands of Assad's criminal gangs, who have been displacing people from here for 13 years, said Hayat Tahrir-ush-Sham fighter Sulaiman Talib.
Al-Assad is losing control of the country at an alarming rate
Bashar al-Assad's forces announced a retaliatory operation on December 4, but a day later they pulled their forces out of Hama. In their official statements, they have explained that in this way they want to avoid conflicts that pose a danger to civilians.
– What happened in Hama is a temporary tactical measure. General Ali Mahmoud Abbas, the Minister of Defense of Syria, said that our forces are deployed around the city and are fully ready to perform their duties.
Many experts have no doubt that these words are only meant to hide another major failure of the Bashar al-Assad regime, which is losing control of its country at an alarming rate.
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“Everyone was surprised by the speed of the rebels' attack, but no one was surprised that the regime could not resist it without its international helpers,” said Farooq Habib, deputy general director of the “White Tops” Society.
A few days ago, the rebels reached Aleppo in just 72 hours and occupied the country's second largest city without serious resistance from the army. CNN was one of the first foreign networks to gain access to it.
– Talking to the people here, you give joy and comfort that the rule of Bashar Assad has ended. But there is also anxiety and fear. Because the people do not know what the rebel forces will do now and what the Assad regime and its allies will do, said Jomana Karadsheh, CNN reporter.
The regime has no one to turn to for help
Bashar Assad's allies are Moscow, Tehran and Lebanon's Hezbollah. In recent days, Russian warplanes have stepped up airstrikes on Aleppo and other areas under the control of anti-government forces, and Iran-backed forces have sent fighters to reinforce Syria's defense lines. Today, Bashar al-Assad's allies do not even hide that they are busy with their own problems.
– If the regime was looking for help from its former partner – Russia, it might not come so soon. The Kremlin spokesman admitted that Moscow is monitoring the situation. CNN's Ben Wedeman said it's hard to call it all-out support for a friend in need.
SEE ALSO: The Rebels Are Coming. The Russians blew up the money, which is being used effectively by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham jihadists, who are now making the most progress on the battlefield since the start of the Syrian civil war 13 years ago, and are threatening the Syrian government's rule. The Assad dynasty has lasted for more than 50 years.
The leader of the rebels gave an interview
– Syria deserves an institutional system of government, not one that serves individuals, like the Assad regime. There should be a framework that protects and guarantees the rights of all citizens, said the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Abu Muhammad al-Jawlani.
Experts note that the group he leads was created from a former branch of Al-Qaeda. Despite its leader's efforts to distance himself from this relationship, the United States continues to designate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham a terrorist organization and offers a $10 million reward for its leader's arrest.
A surprising success for the rebels. “These forces can destroy the Syrian army” Szymon Kazimierczak/Fakty o Świecie TVN24 BiS
– Al-Jawlani is pursuing a wise policy today. It looks a bit like a modern revolutionary, but even a more moderate group than al-Qaeda is still an extremist group, said Colin Clark of The Soufan Group, an expert on terrorism and international security.
The next target of the rebels is Homs, one of the most important transit centers connecting Damascus with the northern and western provinces, as well as with Russian military bases in Syria. Russia itself is trying to delay the rebel attack, including by bombing the bridge leading to the city, but Hayat Tahrir al-Sham militants are advancing hourly and insist that they will not stop until they reach Damascus.
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Main image source: CNN
