Just over a week after taking Aleppo, the Syrian Islamist fighters led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have seized another major city. This time, they have taken Hama, Syria’s fourth largest city, which had not fallen during the protracted Syrian Civil War.
Senior commander of HTS forces, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, said tanks were used in the assault and that “hundreds of unjustly imprisoned individuals” were freed from the Hama Central Prison.
Last week HTS and allies stoked apprehension when they seized the northern city of Aleppo, the nation’s second largest. Syria’s Army has tried to slow their advance with counterattacks, but so far has had limited success.
The army confirmed it had redeployed out of Hama after reports of intense fighting, saying it did to so to avoid exposing civilians to battles. The army statement also reported suffering “heavy losses.”
The HTS offensive has been backed strongly by the Turkey-backed rebels from the country’s northwest. There have been multiple reports that Turkey is backing the offensive, and indeed that Turkey may even be the driving force in the recent push. HTS fighters seem increasingly well-equipped and confirmed as using tanks in their assault on Hama.
With Hama taken, many analysts say that the next major target would be the city of Homs. That would be an obvious next step, as HTS continues their offensive south along the major M5 highway from Aleppo. Homs is just 25 km south of Hama. If Homs fell too, it is likely the capital city of Damascus would also be under major risk.
Senior HTS commanders have made online posts announcing their gains, and one post called on the residents of Homs to rise up in revolution. HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani has also released a video statement threatening to expand the war into Iraq if the Iraqi militia coalition Hashd al-Shaabi gets involved.
There were reports earlier this week that Hashd al-Shaabi fighters had already entered Syria, though this was ultimately denied. The coalition of Shi’ite militias is substantial, and it would make sense they might back the Syrian government against Sunni Islamist factions.
The HTS was the creation of the merger of several Islamist forces, most notably Jabhat al-Nusra, which was Syria’s al-Qaeda-affiliated group. Though HTS has publicly disavowed al-Qaeda in an attempt to be more palatable to the West, they retain much of the same ideology.
Yet while HTS is labeled a terrorist organization broadly internationally, countries including Turkey and Israel are showing increased comfort in openly working with them against the Syrian government. The HTS has reportedly offered to open Israeli embassies in Damascus and Beirut if and when they conquer Syria and neighboring Lebanon.