Kurdish-Arab militias capture several cities in eastern Syria once held by the Assad regime. international

Fighting has reactivated on almost all fronts in Syria as the war escalated last week. On the one hand, in the west of the country, the rebel offensive led by the Salafist group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) is advancing towards Hama, where forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad’s government have regrouped. In addition, factions of the Syrian National Army (SNA), supported by Turkey, are advancing towards Manbij in the north, after seizing from Kurdish militias all parts of the territory they control in the north-west of the country. In the past, Kurdish-Arab militias have taken advantage of the situation to expand their territory at the expense of the regime. And in this connection, Israel has once again bombed the country. Salman Jumaa, a high-ranking figure in the Shiite Hezbollah militia who was responsible for contacts with the Syrian army, was killed in an air strike on a car traveling near Damascus, a Lebanese security source told the Reuters agency.

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a coalition led by Kurdish militia, said Tuesday morning that its fighters had captured seven towns in Deir Ezzor province, the only area on the east bank of the Euphrates River still controlled by the regime from Iran. With the support of advocacy groups. According to Syrian media and sources, the attack was carried out by Arab militiamen from Deir Ezzor affiliated with the FDS and with air support from the United States.

The SDF has been the US’s main ally in Syria since the campaign against Islamic State began a decade ago. There is still some US troop presence in northeastern Syria, which is controlled by Kurdish militias. A Syrian military source quoted by Reuters complained that the SDF was taking advantage of the moment of “weakness” of regular troops after the rebel attack on 27 November, and assured that both the government and pro-Iran militias were sending reinforcements to Deir Ezzor. . According to the state agency SANA, fighting resumed during the afternoon of this Tuesday, accompanied by US bombardment of regular troops present in the area and “their allies” (pro-Iranian militias).

The most fierce fighting is taking place in Hama province (western Syria). HTS-led rebels have advanced towards the provincial capital, capturing several towns and intensifying bombardment of military airports and urban areas. “We have taken control of 14 new towns on the Hama front and our forces are advancing (on it) from multiple directions,” Lieutenant Colonel Hassan Abdel Ghani, who is commanding the rebel offensive, said in a statement. For its part, SANA agency reported that army artillery had heavily bombarded “terrorist positions in the north and east” of Hama.

Also, the new rebel authorities in Aleppo have published a notice in which they urge all former members of the regime’s army and security forces to report to the police stations designated for this before Friday and thereby free them from “all judicial Be exempted from investigation.” Protect their rights.”

Fear against Islamists in Aleppo

Aleppo, which was the economic capital of the country before the civil war, has a very diverse population – Arabs, Kurds, Turkmen, Armenians and Assyrians of various Muslim and Christian sects – so the arrival of a radical Islamic group like HTS creates fear in the population. . , For this reason, the rebel offensive command has in frequent statements urged the combatants to respect the civilian population, particularly citing Christians and Kurds. “We have given clear and strict instructions to all combatants to remain disciplined and respect the rights of civilians without discriminating between religions or sects. We will investigate any violations or complaints that come to us,” Amer al-Seij, commander of rebel military operations, said in a speech to the population this Tuesday. He told his troops: “Keep the faith and be kind to our people in the liberated areas. Do not attack except those who attack you. “Don’t cut trees or demolish houses.”

Jeremy Lawrence, spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, condemned attacks on civilian areas by both sides, particularly through aerial and artillery bombardment: “Our office has documented a number of extremely worrying incidents, resulting in numerous civilian deaths. Is.” Which includes a large number of women and children. The data that has emerged shows that there have been dozens of deaths,” he announced in a televised press conference from Geneva.