U.S. urges citizens to exit Syria as rebels advance rapidly
On Friday, the United States recommended that its citizens immediately leave Syrian territory. This call is due to the rapid offensive progress made by Islamist rebels against the forces of Bashar al-Assad's regime. The rebels have already gained control over several significant cities in the country.
"The Department of State urges U.S. citizens to depart Syria now while commercial options remain available in Damascus," American authorities announced in a statement published on social media.
The rebels don't stop
Islamist rebels from the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) organisation and their allies launched a campaign against Bashar al-Assad's regime forces on 27 November. In a swift offensive, they have already captured, among others, the country's second-largest city, Aleppo, and Hama, which has a population of about 500,000, as well as gained control over the city of Daraa.
The current fighting is the most serious conflict in Syria since 2020, when the front line was frozen in the ongoing civil war that began in 2011. Assad's regime managed to regain control over most of the country's territory, largely thanks to support from Russia and Iran. It is estimated that at least half a million people have died in the conflict. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), over 700 people have died in the ongoing fighting over the past week, including over 100 civilians. The UN reported 370,000 refugees.
