Neighbors return to Homs as Assad opens the campaign

Syrian civilians have started this weekend the return to areas of Homs newly reconquered by the forces of Bashar al-Assad. Return to what’s left of their homes after two years of relentless siege and over three years of civil war. Syrian insurgents surrendered last week the last pockets of resistance in the third-largest city. Before that civilians came to meet a ruined landscape reminiscent of postwar Berlin, the Ministry of Tourism of the Damascus regime predicted ” blooming ” for that sector in the region times.

The old part of Homs is devastated. Other tourist attractions such as the next – castle Krak des Chevaliers crossed, about 50 miles west- have suffered considerable damage in a war that has already cost more than 150,000 lives.

With the country devastated and divided between those loyal to Assad and the various insurgent factions often warring with each other, the Syrians should vote on June 3 whether Assad will continue to lead the Republic of Syria.

Since he inherited the presidency from his father Hafez al-Assad, in 2000, Bachar has held two consultations that obtained results close to 100 %. June presidential incorporated as a great novelty, two alternative candidates. Had registered 20 more, who failed controls regime. But there are two or 25 his alleged opponents, no doubt that Assad winner with dreamy announce results. The election campaign officially began on Sunday. The El Asad, under the theme “United”.

Still, the reconquest – “liberation”, according to official media – propaganda Homs is a turning point for the president. A few weeks ago he said that he was convinced that the war is beginning to turn in his favor. His fall will help establish a corridor of communication and transportation between the capital Damascus and port regions dominated by Assad in the Mediterranean.

Homs, in the center of the country, had also become a symbol of resistance against the ferocity of loyal troops, who became the first stage towards a strategy to spread to other areas: heavy artillery, air strikes and inclement later total blockade of supplies and food.

Evacuation culminated on Friday and was part of an agreement between the regime and the rebels, who moved to northern regions still under its control. The deal, which took effect last Wednesday, also included the release of imprisoned soldiers by opponents. They spoke of dozens of prisoners, good members of the Shiite Hezbollah militia from neighboring Lebanon or Iran.

To the north of the country, in the disputed region of Aleppo, the rebels have also enabled the delivery of food to two locations in Alawite majority controlled by the government. The various clauses of the agreement, without immediate precedents have shown that the regime and the insurgents are able to communicate and carry out a considerable logistical effort. Speculation on similar treatment in other areas such as Homs adjacent territories not yet controls the Army.

Other movements, such as that attempted in February also in Homs, ended in clashes. For now it is quite unlikely that a peaceful solution to the long contest are.

Insurgents kept under control most of the country, but Assad can now concentrate on taking Aleppo and gain control across the capital region. Meanwhile, Islamist rebel groups still fighting each other for supremacy between the regions north and east. The jihadist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (EIIL) keeps moving in the Syrian eastern Deir al Zor, where clashes with the pound Front Nusra subsidiary Syrian Al – Qaeda and the Islamic Front, said the Observatory Syrian Human Rights (OSDH). Clashes continue today in the east of the province, particularly in the villages and Yadid Yadid Akidat Bakaara, where two members of the Front and the Islamic Front Nusra killed, the Observatory said.

Syrian civil war has left millions homeless Syrians. Three million have fled the country and make 100,000 every month. Soon it will be the worst wave of refugees registered since World War II.

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Posted by Nadeem Bajwa on May 13 2014. Filed under Middle East. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.