Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and Turkey-backed paramilitary groups launched and attack on Aleppo on 26 November. The groups, which took a large part of Aleppo without encountering any resistance, continue their advance. The groups turned their direction towards Hama and Humus, which are under the control of the Syrian regime. The groups, which captured Hama in a short time, continue their advance towards Humus. 

 

Hama and Humus are cities that have played a key role in Syria's political and religious identity struggles throughout history. These two cities harbour the socio-political dynamics of Syria not only geographically, but also through historical events and social structures. Especially their role in the 1982 Hama Massacre and the civil war started in 2011 placed these cities at the centre of national and international politics. Two cities, which are seen as historcial and strategic strongholds for Syria, are targeted by HTS.

 

HAMA

 

Hama is an ancient settlemenet dating back to 3,000 B.C. In ancient times, it was home to Aramaic civilisaitons and was a strategic trade centre. As a part of the Ottoman Empire, Hama was one of the most prominent cities especially in agriculture and trade. During this period, the majority of the city's population was Sunni Arabs. 

 

HUMUS

 

Humus has an important place in the Roman and Byzantine periods. It is also one of the cities where the Muslims gained superiority over Byzantium. A commercial and agricultural centre during the Ottoman period, Humus became the scene of tensions between social and religious groups during the French mandate.  

 

DEMOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY

 

Hama and Humus have historically been cities where different communities have lived together. Hama is predominantly populated by Sunni Arabs. There are also Christian and Nusayri (Alawite) populations in the region. Humus has a more cosmopolitan structure. Although Sunni Muslims are the majority, there are also Christians, Alawites and other minority populations.

 

1982 UPRISING

 

In the 1970s, the Baathist regime under Hafez al-Assad began to pursue a harsh policy against Islamist movements. The Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan), opposing the secular policies of the regime, started to take armed action in 1976. The centre of this resistance was Hama, where Islamist movements were strong. In February 1982, the regime organised a comprehensive military operation to suppress the uprising launched by the Muslim Brotherhood in Hama. Troops led by Hafez al-Assad's brother Rifaat al-Assad bombarded the city with heavy artillery fire and air strikes. Accordin to various sources, between 20 thousand and 40 thousand people lost their lives in the attacks. Historival buildings and infrastructure in the city were largely destroyed. With these attacks, the regime consolidated its power and almost completely destroyed the Ikhwan movement. However, this has created deep enmity between Sunni communities and the regime. For Islamist groups, Hama became a symbol of "martyrdom" and "resistance". This paved the way for the emergence of more radical Islamist organisations. 

 

HAMA AND HUMUS DURING THE CIVIL WAR

 

In the early 2011 civil war, Humus became one of the strongest centres of the Syrian opposition. In 2011, the Syrian regime bombarded the neighbourhoods under the control of the opposition. After two years of bombardment, the Syrian regime regained control of the region. In 2014, the regime completely took control of the city. 

 

Hama witnessed large-scale protests in the summer of 2011. However, unlike in 1982, the regime intervened more rapidly and harshly. Although the regime established its contol in the city earlier, the rural areas were used as a centre of operations, especially for Salafist groups. In the civil war that started in 2011, the Syrian regime, which had maintained control of the city, lost control of the city for the first time when HTS launched attacks on 26 November. HTS is now at the gates of Humus. 

 

THE IMPORTANCE OF HAMA AND HUMUS FOR THE REGIME

 

Hama and Humus are located on a strategic corridor linking Damascus with the coastal regions of Latakia. This corridor is vital for the regime to maintain its links with the coastal areas where the Alawite community is concentrated. The control over Hama and Humus is both a military and political show of strength for the Syrian regime. 

 

IMPORTANCE FOR SALAFI GROUPS

 

Hama has a symbolic importance for Salafi groups to avenge the 1982 massacre and to continue the resistance against the regime. Especially the countryside of Hama was used as a base of operations for groups suc as al-Nusra and ISIS. During the civil war, both cities experienced large-scale population movements. The Syrian regime did not hold back from implementing demographic engineering policies to suppress the opposition population. the United Nations (UN) stated that more than 50 thousand people had to leave their homes in its latest statement on migration. 

 

HISTORICAL AND CURRENT RUPTURES

 

Hama and Humus stand out as the epitome of Syria's historical ruptures and current conflicts. From the 1982 massacre to the current civil war, what happened in these cities is of critical importance for understanding the political dynamics of not only Syria but also the Middle East. These cities continue to be symbols of the conflict between the regime and the opposition. 

 

MA / Delal Akyüz