Syria’s Rebel Forces Press On, Aim to Overthrow President’s Rule
Rebel Forces at the Gates of Homs, a Key City in Syrian Civil War
BEIRUT: Rebel forces pressing a lightning offensive in Syria aim to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad’s rule, their Islamist leader said in an interview published on Friday.
The Islamist-led rebels were at the gates of Syria’s Homs, a war monitor said, after wresting other key cities from government control. In little over a week, the offensive has seen Syria’s second city Aleppo and strategically located Hama fall from President Bashar al-Assad’s control for the first time since the civil war began in 2011.
Fearing the Rebels’ Advance, Thousands Flee
Fearing the rebels’ advance, tens of thousands of members of Assad’s Alawite minority were fleeing Homs on Thursday, residents and the Observatory said. Khaled, who lives on the city’s outskirts, told AFP that "the road leading to (coastal) Tartus province was glowing… due to the lights of hundreds of cars on their way out".
The Goal of the Revolution: Overthrow of the Regime
Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel alliance, said the goal of the offensive was to overthrow Assad’s rule. "When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal," Jolani told CNN in an interview.
Rebels’ Advance
By Friday morning, the rebels were just five kilometres (three miles) from the edge of Homs, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor. The rebel alliance conducting the offensive that began on November 27 is led by HTS, which is rooted in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda but has sought to moderate its image in recent years.
International Reaction
Turkey, which has backed the opposition, on Friday said its Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan would meet with his Russian and Iranian counterparts this weekend in Qatar to discuss the situation in Syria. The United Nations said that the violence has displaced 280,000 people, warning that numbers could swell to 1.5 million.
Conclusion
The rebel forces’ advance is a massive blow to the Syrian government, and if they capture Homs, it would cut the seat of power in the capital Damascus from the Mediterranean coast, a key bastion of the Assad clan. The international community is closely watching the situation, with the United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres saying that the escalation is the result of a "chronic collective failure" of diplomacy.
FAQs
- What is the goal of the rebel forces in Syria?
The goal of the rebel forces is to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad’s rule. - Who is leading the rebel forces?
The rebel forces are led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel alliance, which is rooted in the Syrian branch of Al-Qaeda. - How many people have been displaced due to the violence in Syria?
The United Nations has reported that 280,000 people have been displaced, with numbers possibly swelling to 1.5 million. - What is the international reaction to the situation in Syria?
The international community is closely watching the situation, with the United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres saying that the escalation is the result of a "chronic collective failure" of diplomacy.