Ticker on the civil war in Syria Federation demands cessation of hostilities +++ Assad's army goes on counter-offensive
On November 27, several rebel groups in Syria went on the offensive, threatening the rule of Bashar al-Assad. The developments in the civil war, which has been raging since 2011, here in the ticker.
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- Rebels have reached the important city of Hama.
- Government troops go on the counter-offensive.
- Heavy fighting near Hama, but also in eastern Syria.
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Wednesday, December 4, 2024, 2:19 a.m.
Military expert: Erdogan benefits from developments in Syria
According to a military expert, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is benefiting politically from the rebel offensive in north-western Syria. Two of Turkey's important goals in the neighboring country could thus be achieved, military expert and former air force general Erdogan Karakus told the German Press Agency.
On the one hand, Ankara could hope that at least some of the more than three million Syrian refugees in Turkey would return to their home country if the insurgents were able to hold Aleppo. This could lead to an easing of domestic political tensions in Turkey. On the other hand, he assumes that pro-Turkish rebels will drive the Kurdish militia YPG out of the area west of the Euphrates, said Karakus. From Turkey's point of view, this would increase border security. Turkey sees the YPG as an offshoot of the banned Kurdish Workers' Party (PKK) and therefore as a terrorist organization.
It would be naive to believe that Ankara knew nothing about the preparations for the offensive, said Karakus. Turkey is not supporting the HTS militarily, but it is coordinating with the pro-Turkish SNA rebels. "Since the SNA is strong and organized due to the Turkish military support it has received for years, Turkey will have achieved all these successes without firing a single bullet in the field," Karakus said. However, Turkey also does not want to upset Russia - a supporter of the Syrian government. He therefore believes that Turkey will try to prevent the HTS from advancing further south. On Monday, Turkey had called for negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition.
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10.33 p.m.
Swiss government calls for cessation of hostilities in Syria
Switzerland has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities in view of the escalation of violence in Syria. International humanitarian law must be respected, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs announced on Tuesday evening via Platform X.
The civilian population and humanitarian personnel must also be protected, the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) continued. The FDFA also called for "safe and unhindered humanitarian access". A credible peace process is "more urgent than ever".
The civil war in Syria, which has been ongoing since 2011, has recently flared up again. In the middle of last week, an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive in north-western Syria and took control of Aleppo, the country's second-largest city, at the weekend.
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19:20
Putin and Erdogan discuss the situation in Syria
Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a telephone conversation to help restore stability in the civil war-torn country of Syria, according to the Kremlin. Ankara must use its influence in the region to restore constitutional order, according to a Kremlin statement on the phone call. Putin's troops stationed in the country are seen as a protective power for Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad.
According to his communications office, Erdogan said that Turkey was working on a just and lasting solution. "President Erdogan emphasized the importance of giving more space to diplomacy in the region and stressed that the Syrian regime should participate in the political solution process," it said.
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18:06
Activists: 27 dead in fighting around Syrian city of Hama
According to information from activists, at least 27 people have died in fighting around the strategically important Syrian city of Hama. Among the dead were 17 members of government troops, eight fighters from Islamist rebels and two civilians, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which follows the war in the country with a network of informants.
In the middle of last week, an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive in north-western Syria and took control of Aleppo, the country's second largest city, at the weekend. The front line has now shifted around 130 kilometers south of the city of Hama.
Fierce fighting is reportedly taking place in the area surrounding the city. The Islamist alliance has captured at least ten villages and towns. Syria's armed forces reportedly increased their troop presence and responded with dozens of airstrikes on the Islamist rebels.
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5.16 pm
Iran open to possible troop deployment to Syria
According to its Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Iran is open to the possibility of deploying troops to Syria. "If the Syrian government asks Iran to send troops to Syria, we will consider the request," the minister told the Arabic-language TV channel Alaraby, referring to the resurgence of the civil war.
Meanwhile, Iran's Chief of General Staff Mohammed Bagheri spoke in separate phone calls with Russian Defense Minister Andrei Beloussov and his counterparts in Syria and Iraq. They discussed resolute support for the Syrian army, the Iranian news agency Irna reported.
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17.01 hrs
Bread and other foodstuffs are becoming scarce
The new fighting in north-western Syria has dramatically worsened the humanitarian situation for countless people. Bread and other foodstuffs are becoming scarce, residents told dpa.
Bakeries remained closed and long queues formed at bread distribution points. Even in places where bread was available, residents stayed at home for fear of fighting in the area.
"No bakeries are open today," said one resident of Aleppo, where insurgents took control over the weekend. "I have been queuing since 3.00am today to get the daily bread for my family." Another resident said bread was available, "but for the past few days people have not opened their stores because of the shelling."
The Norwegian Refugee Council warned: "The latest escalation in Syria threatens to drag the country back to the darkest days of the conflict, which will soon be 14 years long." Food is scarce in Aleppo and the water supply is also affected due to damage to the water network. "The need is enormous," said the aid organization. Displaced people are arriving at refugee camps without clothing to protect them from the cold winter.
David Carden, UN Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator for Syria, spoke of the heaviest attacks since the escalation began last week. The airstrikes had hit civilians, refugee camps, hospitals and schools. On Sunday and Monday alone, at least 33 civilians were killed and 125 others injured, most of them women and children.
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3.15 pm
WHO warns: Healthcare at risk after rebel offensive in Syria
Following the surprising rebel offensive in north-western Syria, the World Health Organization (WHO) reports on the plight of the people in Aleppo. Dozens of hospitals and surgeries have had to suspend their services, said the acting WHO representative in the capital Damascus, Christina Bethke.
Only eight hospitals were still operating at minimum capacity, she said. In Idlib, bombs had damaged the university hospital and a maternity clinic, among others, this week. Sick people could no longer be treated and only a few clinics were still able to accept the injured. More than two million people live in Aleppo, including a good 100,000 who have fled the violence in Lebanon in recent weeks.
![The intensification of fighting in the Syrian civil war is putting the country's healthcare system under massive pressure.]()
The intensification of fighting in the Syrian civil war is putting the country's healthcare system under massive pressure. AP Photo/Ghaith Alsayed/KeystoneIn the middle of last week, an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive in north-western Syria and gained control of Aleppo and the surrounding area at the weekend. The Syrian army has since reported several recaptures.
Dozens of non-governmental organizations that provided the region with health services from Turkey or were present in Aleppo and Idlib themselves have had to suspend their services. Many ambulances urgently need to be repaired. The WHO expects that by the end of the year there will only be just under two dozen ambulances available for five million inhabitants in the north-west of the country.
Bethke said that only a fifth of the money that the WHO had estimated at the beginning of the year to support Syria had been collected in donations.
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14:00
Syrian rebels report new successes - army recaptures village
Islamist insurgents in Syria have reported that they have captured four more towns. The insurgents' military administration said gunmen had taken control of the towns of Halfaja, Tajbat al-Imam, Maardis and Soran and killed soldiers. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is close to the opposition, confirmed the capture of the towns.
The pro-government media portal Dama Post reported intense fighting in and around the towns, adding that Syrian troops had fired artillery shells at insurgents in the area. State media also reported intense airstrikes by the Syrian and Russian air forces in the region.
The latest advance is part of a broad offensive by forces opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, led by the Sunni extremists of the group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham and insurgents supported by Turkey. Over the past few days, these forces have captured large parts of Aleppo, a city with over a million inhabitants, as well as towns and villages in the southern parts of Idlib province.
The insurgents are now about ten kilometers from Hama, the fourth largest city in the country. Both the Observatory and pro-government media reported that Syrian government troops had captured the village of Chanasser, south-east of Aleppo, days after losing it. Chanasser is located on one of the roads leading to Aleppo.
In the east, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) declared that they had captured seven villages from pro-government fighters. Syrian state media, however, reported that the attack had been repelled. The villages are located near a base where US troops are stationed, in an area close to the Iraqi border.
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1.17 p.m.
One dead in Israeli drone attack near Damascus
At least one person has been killed in an Israeli drone attack in Syria near the airport in the capital Damascus. The German Press Agency learned this from Syrian government circles, and the Syrian Observatory based in London also confirmed the deadly attack. According to the report, at least one other person was injured. The attack took place in the village of Akraba outside Damascus.
According to the Observatory, which follows the war in Syria with a network of informants, Israel has attacked Syria around 160 times this year alone. Even before the start of the Gaza war in October 2023, Israel used these attacks to try to reduce the influence of militias loyal to Iran in the country. Israel has expanded these attacks since the start of the war.
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11.50 am
Current situation map
![The pink and orange areas are held by government troops.]()
The pink and orange areas are held by government troops. Comons/Ecrusized & Rr016 -
Tuesday, December 3, 11:30 a.m.
Assad's counter-offensive: heavy fighting near Hama
According to their own account, Syrian government troops have repelled attempts by Islamist rebels to advance into areas north of the city of Hama. An army commander of the government troops told dpa that the troops had begun a major counter-offensive on the evening of December 2 in order to regain the areas lost in recent days.
The army had recaptured the town of Khanasir around 80 kilometers south-east of Aleppo - less than 48 hours after the insurgents had taken it on 1 December.
The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which follows the war in the country with a network of informants, reported heavy fighting between government troops and rebels north of Hama.
Russian warplanes and militias loyal to Iran were supporting the army, said the head of the Observatory, Rami Abdel-Rahman. Fighter planes and helicopters had flown more than 45 airstrikes and dropped barrel bombs. The government troops were able to fend off rebel advances.
In the middle of last week, an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) began an offensive in north-western Syria and took control of Aleppo, the country's second-largest city, at the weekend. Hama is located a good 130 kilometers south of Aleppo.
According to Abdel-Rahman, the government troops and their allies were moving towards the town of Safira, which lies 25 kilometers outside of Aleppo and is considered the entrance to the city.
According to Abdel-Rahman, the so-called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which are led by Kurdish militias, are meanwhile also trying to gain areas under government control in the north-east. In Dair as-Saur, government troops and their allies fought battles with SDF-affiliated militias. Fighter jets of the US coalition had attacked positions of militias loyal to Iran in Dair as-Saur, reported Abdel-Rahman.
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7 p.m.
Fighting reaches Hama
Fighting between Islamist rebels and Syria's armed forces reaches the city of Hama. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that six civilians were killed in rocket fire from the insurgents on the western district of Baath for the first time since the outbreak of the latest escalation.
In the middle of last week, an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) began an offensive in north-western Syria and took control of Aleppo, the country's second largest city, at the weekend. Hama is located a good 130 kilometers south of Aleppo.
Meanwhile, Syria's armed forces are mobilizing their troops. They have taken up positions in the rural areas of Aleppo, Hama and Idlib, the General Staff reported. Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad has announced a counter-offensive.
In the northern outskirts of the city of Hama, government troops fought battles against the insurgents, according to a statement from the Syrian army. Together with Russia's air force, positions were bombed.
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Monday, December 2, 6 p.m.
Allegedly 500 dead so far
According to activists, more than 500 people have been killed in the course of the new fighting in Syria between Islamist rebels and government troops. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is always well informed with a broad network of informants, 92 civilians were among the casualties.
A few days ago, an alliance of insurgents led by the Islamist group Haiat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a lightning offensive in north-western Syria. Syria's ruler Bashar al-Assad announced a counter-offensive.
According to the Observatory, at least 217 fighters from the rebel group HTS and 51 fighters from the so-called "Free Syrian Army", which is supported by Turkey, were killed among the insurgents. There were 154 fatalities on the side of the Syrian soldiers and pro-government troops.
Air strikes on residential areas in the rebel stronghold of Idlib, capital of the governorate of the same name, have triggered a mass exodus. Residents reported catastrophic humanitarian consequences: The water supply collapsed and at times the electricity also failed.
