Syrian rebels take control of key city as government forces step back
Syrian opposition groups gained ground in northern region taking most of major urban area. Government troops backed by foreign allies moved away from several positions while rebels push forward
Anti-government forces made quick progress in northern Syria taking most of the regions biggest urban center. Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters (a rebel group from north-west) pushed their way through multiple areas while heading towards the city of Hama
The fast-moving operation happened during last weekend: government military units with support from Moscow and Tehran stepped back from several check-points. The opposition group — which has its main base in Idlib area — managed to get hold of important positions
Pictures from the captured military facility in Idlib showed multiple army-men taken into custody‚ while the rebel forces keep moving south. This marks one of the most important shifts in the regions power-balance; the governments control over territory has not been challenged like this in a long time
The take-over of this strategic location by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham shows how quick things can change — the group now controls most of the city that used to be Syrias largest commercial hub. The state forces (who get help from foreign allies) seemed to move away without much resistance from some spots
