[Salon] Fwd: "Al-Qaeda Linked Militants Seize Major Syrian City of Hama" (ANTIWAR)

[Chas Freeman <cwfresidence@gmail.com>]

FM: John Whitbeck

Transmitted below is an update on the rapid progress of jihadist forces through Hama toward Homs and, perhaps tomorrow or soon thereafter, onward toward Damascus.

It is being widely reported that the forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) are better equipped, by someone, than the forces of the Syrian government, which, so far, are yielding ground with a speed worthy of the Afghan National Army as the Taliban resumed its control of Afghanistan.

HTS fighters have been publicly proclaiming their love of Israel, and Israel, Turkey and the United States all have interests in supporting HTS or wishing it well, since, notwithstanding HTS's origins in both Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, its victory would fulfill decades-old regime-change dreams for Israel, offer anti-Kurd possibilities and hopes of repatriating millions of Syrian refugees for Turkey and both constitute a success for its own long-running regime-change effort and be viewed as a defeat and humiliation for Russia and Iran by the United States.

This support might not prove to be durable if the the Syrian Arabic Republic were to become the Islamic Republic of Syria and if HTS's claim that it has moderated its prior radically fundamentalist views and objectives were to prove as insincere or ephemeral as similar assertions by the Taliban, but, in any event, one may anticipate that HTS will soon be removed from the American list of "terrorist" organizations, albeit not, due to the Russian veto, from the UN's "terrorist" list.

https://news.antiwar.com/2024/12/05/al-qaeda-linked-militants-seize-major-syrian-city-of-hama/

Al-Qaeda Linked Militants Seize Major Syrian City of Hama

Islamists raid prison in Hama, releasing hundreds.

by Jason Ditz

Just over a week into their latest offensive, 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, and one that had not fallen before during the protracted Syrian Civil War.

Last week HTS and allies raised eyebrows 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 they had redeployed out of Hama after reports of intense fighting. They said they moved to outside the city 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 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 that the capital city of Damascus would also be under major risk.

Senior HTS commanders have made online posts announcing their gains, and a post was made calling 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 affiliate. 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 like 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.