Syria once again witnessed violence and destruction. Clashes between Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebels and Bashar Assad regime forces triggered a new crisis that shook the country. The provisional death toll is dramatic: more than 130 dead, dozens of Syrian soldiers and pro-Iran Shiite militiamen captured, and at least 10,000 refugees fleeing towards Idlib province in the country’s northwest.
Born as a branch of Al Qaeda, HTS gained power by capturing kilometers of territory and reaching the gates of Aleppo, Syria’s most important urban centre. A war that took the country back to 2018, when Russian intervention allowed the Assad regime to retain Damascus and regain at least partial control of the country.
The rebels’ offensive is a response to Damascus’ attacks on the Idlib region, a strategic province on the Turkish border. Although officially governed by HTS, Idlib has been the focus of attention of the Syrian regime for years, despite Turkey’s checkpoints and de-escalation agreements signed in 2019. These agreements, which included not attacking populated areas, were repeatedly violated. .
Civilians at the center of the conflict
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, at least 30 civilians were killed and 100 civilians were injured in the regime’s bombardment of Idlib in recent weeks. The attacks increased the anger and determination of the rebels, who took advantage of the disorganization of Damascus forces, many of whom abandoned their positions or surrendered.
Türkiye is alarmed
The new wave of violence worries Ankara, which is just 60 kilometers away from the disputed areas. The Turkish military presence in the region serves to prevent refugee flows and bombings, but the ongoing conflict risks putting the agreements to the test and further destabilizing the region. While Turkish defense sources stated that Turkish-backed groups did not participate in the attack, they said the Turkish military was trying to deter HTS from taking action.
This situation also complicates relations between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Bashar Assad, who have not met with each other since 2011. Moscow insists on mediating between the two, but recent developments cast a shadow over the future of the region and the effectiveness of the negotiations. international diplomacy.
A country torn apart
With Aleppo once again under threat, the human and geopolitical toll of the Syrian crisis is worsening. As thousands of families desperately seek refuge, the conflict appears doomed to plunge Syria into an abyss of instability and suffering from which it cannot escape.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
