The Jihadists Take 2nd Major Syrian City After Assad’s Army Withdraws 

In another stunning advance by Syrian jihadists led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Hama has become the second major Syrian city to fall to the anti-Assad insurgents since the shock campaign based out of Idlib began last week.

The Syrian national army confirmed in a Thursday statement that it has withdrawn from the city, redeploying its forces “to preserve civilian lives and prevent urban combat.”

Al Jazeera correspondent Resul Serdar observed of the “major development” that “In just over a week they have managed to take full control of Syria’s second-largest city, Aleppo, and now the fourth-largest city.”

The assault had been happening since Tuesday night, reportedly with violent clashes with the Syrian Army being most concentrated in the Jabal Zayn al-Abidin area, just north of Hama.

Hama is one-third of the way from Aleppo to Damascus, and puts the HTS jihadists a significant step closer to accessing Syria’s most populous government regions.

One of the largest Christian towns of Syria, neighboring Muhrada, is now under direct threat.

with a heavy heart, I report to you that Hama, my city, has officially fallen in the hands of terrorists.
May the Lord take our souls or theirs, we will never coexist with them. pic.twitter.com/qkp6dFBxty

— Jean ☦︎ 🔺ن (@poqanarii) December 5, 2024

Longtime Syrian al-Qaeda leader and head of HTS, Abu Mohammed al-Golani has issued a video statement telling outside Iranian-backed powers they must not intervene. The warning was specifically directed against Iraq’s Hashd al-Shaabi militias.

Pretty incredible footage of clashes between Syrian rebels and the Assad regime forces in town of Khattab pic.twitter.com/TTtk6dAg8T

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) December 5, 2024

Golani said in reference to Iraq’s prime minister: “We urge him again to keep Iraq away from entering into the flames of a new war tied to what is happening in Syria.”

There have been days of reports of pro-Iranian militias pouring across the border in the multiple hundreds from Iraq, near the Abu Kamal area. US warplanes have also engaged Syrian national forces and militia in the Deir Ezzor region.

Another key faction within Golani’s group is the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army. Reuters summarized of a near-term of goal of these groups, “HTS and the other rebel groups are trying to consolidate their rule in Aleppo, bringing it under the administration of the so-called Salvation Government they established in their northwestern enclave.”

Footage by the Islamist fighters showing they have entered the center of the city of Hama:

Syrian rebels are inside Hama city pic.twitter.com/7ypodlNqnd

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) December 5, 2024

Currently, people in Aleppo have said there are shortages of bread, food, and fuel – and that there are no longer any telecom services in the area.

The militants could seek to strike Homs next, but it’s likely that the Syrian government will muster most of its forces at the strategic city in anticipation of such an assault.

Takeover of Homs would give HTS easier access to all other parts of the country. At this point Hama’s populous Christian community has reportedly been fleeing, seeking shelter closer to the coast in the nearby ‘Valley of the Christians’ area, not trusting the pledges of Golani to ‘protect’ religious minorities.