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Syrian rebels captured the city of Hama Thursday, continuing their push through the north of the country and calling on residents to rise up against the country’s President Bashar al-Assad.
The rebels said they would push further south toward Homs, a strategically important city near the border with Lebanon, which lies between the capital Damascus in the far south and the country’s coast.
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The rebels’ push comes after the sudden takeover of Aleppo, reigniting the country’s frozen civil war. Assad, whose regime has in the past relied on Russia, Iran, and Tehran proxy groups across the Middle East to maintain control, seemed caught unawares. While Russia and Assad’s government have started carrying out airstrikes, as well as government forces taking part in ground operations, the regime has struggled to rebut the rebels’ expansion.