There were scenes of joy and jubilation as Syrian rebels stormed Hama yesterday morning. One of the first things rebels did upon capturing the city was releasing prisoners who are mostly imprisoned for political offences. Some political prisoners that have been liberated yesterday in Hama have been in jail for decades.
The city known to be a stronghold for the opposition in Syria was the scene of a major massacre where government forces killed up to 40,000 people under Hafez al-Assad’s rule in 1982. Citizens of Hama quickly toppled a statue of Hafez al-Assad following the liberation of the city.
Syrian rebels are now fighting for Homs and have already captured the town Talbiseh a few kilometres away north of Homs. Homs is the last major city standing between the rebels and Damascus in what has been a highly successful rebel offensive, capturing territory with unexpected swiftness. Bashar al-Assad’s grip on power in Syria has never appeared weaker. Meanwhile, rebel-leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani is ensuring the general public that his army will respect civilians and their private properties and there will be no reprisals.
Newsroom
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