Since November 27, a massive attack has been taking place from Idlib province led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The provisional toll is 242 dead, including some civilians. P. Bahjat: people are “tired”, at night “they cannot sleep” and “they do not have the strength to face another battle.” The escalation is linked to an “unsustainable” long-term political stalemate.
Aleppo () – “In the city you can clearly hear the cannon shots, people are afraid, schools are closed and classes have been suspended, there is a climate of great apprehension and even catechism in parishes has been suspended,” he tells Father Bahjat Karakach, parish priest of the church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Aleppo, commenting on the attacks in recent days by jihadist groups and rebels in the province of Idlib, which are already at the gates of the city. “The people – the priest continues – are tired and feel that they do not have enough strength to face another battle, the beginning of another war. The fear is real, the fear is in the air and the noises of these bombings can be heard loudly. clarity, so much so that for three nights people have not even been able to sleep. For months there has been talk of a possible attack by jihadist groups, but it seemed more of a threat than a real danger: unfortunately even its dimensions, which we are observing these days. with concern, they have surprised us”.
On November 27, anti-government forces launched a massive offensive in the northwest, conquering territories controlled by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces for the first time after years of “freezing” conflict with rebel militias, and jihadists “confined.” ” in Idlib province. The Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions said they had taken control of several cities and towns in Aleppo and Idlib provinces. The Syrian Army confirms the “large-scale” attack by the “terrorists”, who continue to advance after conquering peripheral areas and now appear to be heading towards the center of the city.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), an organization based in the United Kingdom and a dense network of informants, the toll of the rebel and jihadist offensive in the northwest is at least 242 dead. Of them, four are civilians who were killed this morning by the bombs that fell on Aleppo, a northern metropolis that was once an economic and commercial capital before becoming a symbol of the devastation caused by a now forgotten conflict. On the other hand, 19 civilians were killed in airstrikes by the Syrian and Russian air forces in opposition-held areas.
More than half a million people have died in the Syrian civil war, which erupted when the Damascus government brutally repressed pro-democracy protests in 2011. Idlib is now the last bastion controlled by the opposition, with more than four million inhabitants, many of whom were displaced during the conflict and are forced to live in terrible conditions. The enclave is largely in the hands of the HTS group, but there are also Ankara-backed rebel factions operating under the banner of the Syrian National Army (SNA) and Turkish forces. Rami Abdel Rahman, director of the Observatory, notes that Assad’s forces were “in no way prepared” for the attack. “It is strange,” he adds, “to see that they are suffering such hard blows despite Russian air cover and previous indications that the HTS would launch this operation.” He raises the possibility that it is due to a “lack of support” from Hezbollah, involved in the war with Israel.
In 2020, Turkey and Russia – Assad’s main ally – negotiated a ceasefire to stop the government offensive towards Idlib and stopped the escalation of violence, but sporadic clashes, airstrikes and bombings continued in these years. Last month, the UN special envoy for Syria warned that the wars in Gaza and Lebanon were “dangerously catalyzing the conflict in northwest Syria.” Geir Pedersen added that Russia had resumed airstrikes for the first time in months and that pro-government forces had significantly accelerated drone strikes and bombings. In response, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its allies launched a massive offensive to “deter aggression” and “thwart the enemy’s plans.” For his part, the UN deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for Syria, David Carden, said he was “deeply alarmed”, while the International Rescue Committee speaks of almost 7,000 displaced families and some health centers and schools forced to suspend operations. services.
“This morning – says Father Bahjat Karakach – we woke up to the news of four students killed by a bomb that fell near the university residence. Of course, there is no need to fuel panic, but it is equally clear that people are right to worry.” The escalation, according to the priest, is also related to the “political stagnation that has occurred in recent years in Syria, when it was clear to everyone that it would not be sustainable in the long term.” However, he continues, “a real and definitive solution was never reached, but only fragile agreements that could not last for long” and now a decisive intervention by the international community is more urgent than ever. The climate of tension and fear also affects the Christian community, which began to prepare for the weeks of Advent prior to Christmas: “The spirit – concludes the parish priest – has changed from one day to the next. We try to live the situation with joy , but the weather has inevitably become heavier and may not allow us to be as free to move around and celebrate. We hope, and pray, that everything improves.
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