Fierce fighting is taking place today between the Syrian army and a coalition of rebels led by a radical Islamist group, which is trying to advance towards the strategic city of Hama in central Syria, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported, quoted by Agence France-Presse, BTA reported.
The rebels launched a lightning offensive last week that allowed them to capture Syria's second largest city, located in the north of the country – Aleppo, which government forces lost control of for the first time since the start of the civil war in 2011.
“There are fierce clashes in the northern part of Hama province, while Russian and Syrian warplanes are carrying out dozens of strikes on rebel positions,“ the HRW said.
The rebels have managed to capture several towns and villages in Hama province, the UK-based NGO, which has a large network of sources in Syria, added.
An AFP photographer this morning captured dozens of abandoned Syrian army tanks and military vehicles on the road leading to Hama.
The Syrian army said it had sent reinforcements to the area, which had helped slow the rebel advance over the past two days.
According to the Syrian Defense Ministry, “the fierce clashes“ yesterday pitted the army, backed by Syrian and Russian airstrikes, “against terrorist organizations in the northern part“ of Hama province.
“We are advancing towards Hama after clearing the settlements leading to it”, a rebel fighter who identified himself as Abu Huda Surani told AFP.
Hama is a strategic city in central Syria, located on the road linking Aleppo to the capital Damascus. The rebel advance threatens the regime's popular base in the Alawite-populated area – a community from which President Bashar al-Assad also comes, said OHCHR Director Rami Abdel-Rahman.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said yesterday he was alarmed by the latest escalation of violence in Syria and called for an "immediate cessation of hostilities."
For its part, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was trying to confirm the number of deadly attacks carried out by both sides.
"Our office has recorded a number of extremely worrying incidents resulting in civilian casualties, including large numbers of women and children, in attacks by both "Hayat Tahrir al-Shams" and pro-government forces," stressed Jeremy Lawrence, spokesman for High Commissioner Volker Türk.