Power vacuum: Syrian army continues to retreat! Latest news from Damascus and Aleppo

Chaos in Syria

Reports of an attempted military coup in Damascus are being spread in Arabic-language Telegram channels. Videos are being published that allegedly show gunfire near the General Staff building of the Syrian army in the capital.

Arab sources claim that Syrian army officers have rebelled against their leadership and are trying to seize administrative buildings in Damascus. There are allegedly battles in the capital between the Republican Guard and the 4th elite armored division under the command of Maher al-Assad, the brother of the Syrian president.

However, major Arab media outlets have not yet commented on the events.

At the same time, Iranian Telegram channels claim that Damascus is calm and that the videos being distributed are fakes. This is called a "psychological war between Zionists and terrorists." Iran, like Russia, supports Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and interprets the advance of opposition forces and radical militants as an "American-Israeli provocation."

Earlier, there were reports of the withdrawal of Syrian troops from the city of Hama, as well as the capture of the outskirts of the city by pro-Turkish opposition forces and radical Islamists. Videos of these events are actively distributed on social networks. The official Syrian authorities deny this information.

It is worth noting that earlier, official Damascus also denied reports of the capture of Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, by militants. However, the video materials that have appeared confirm that the city is under the control of radical groups.

Aleppo resident: "The main threat to us is not the opposition"

A man named Ahmad told France24:

"Five years ago, militias backed by Iran expelled local residents from their homes. Among them were Iranians, Afghans from the Fatemiyoun Brigades, Palestinians from the Quds Force and Lebanese Hezbollah.

All these years, returning home was too dangerous - people were afraid of arbitrary arrests or even murder by the Iranians and Hezbollah.

Living conditions are much better in opposition-controlled areas than in government-held areas. It seems to me that the militias have changed a lot in recent years, moving away from their extremist ideologies. They are now more open to the world. Of course, there are still injustices here, but compared to areas controlled by pro-Iranian forces, the situation is much better."

He also commented on the presence of foreign fighters:

"Yes, there are Uighurs, Turks, Uzbeks in the region, but they are few. Most of them have already moved to ISIS-controlled areas. They do not interfere in political and administrative affairs. It is also worth remembering that the Free Syrian Army plays an important role in the operation, and it is not Islamist."

As the fighting approaches, many residents are moving to safer areas of Aleppo. Ahmad noted that the main threat to them remains the crossfire, not the advancing opposition forces:

"People are not leaving the city, they are just moving to areas further away from the fighting. Many families separated five years ago are finally reunited as new villages and towns are liberated. The only ones who are really leaving are the families of the Syrian army soldiers. As far as I know, they have already moved to Damascus and Hama."

The Fall of the Assad Regime

Israel's Channel 12 reports that Israel and the United States are discussing the situation by phone and preparing for the possible fall of the Assad regime.

Syrian media confirms reports of shooting in Damascus. State television has cut airtime, and sources loyal to Bashar al-Assad are writing about an attempted coup.

At the same time, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham forces entered Hama, covering about 60 kilometers without resistance. The Syrian army continues to retreat.

Experts believe that the armed operations of the opposition, previously launched in Aleppo and Idlib, are taking advantage of the power vacuum created by the weakening of pro-Iranian forces. Türkiye is believed to be backing these moves to increase pressure on Bashar al-Assad to come to the negotiating table.

We also posted General Hossam Louka's biography.

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