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| Advances made in the last month |
The pattern of the Syrian Civil War has been one of long-lasting stalemates with occasional bursts of activity and movement.
Since the collapse of ISIS in 2017, things have been rather static, with a large area in the North East controlled by US-backed Kurds and the Idlib area in the North West controlled by various Jihadi groups backed by Turkey.
Since the collapse of ISIS in 2017, things have been rather static, with a large area in the North East controlled by US-backed Kurds and the Idlib area in the North West controlled by various Jihadi groups backed by Turkey.
Now, at last, the front lines are shifting again.
After earlier gains in the South of Idlib, the Syrian army has made a big push in the North of Idlib, around Syria's second city Aleppo.
Since the Syrian army pushed the Jihadis out of the city in 2016, there has been a stalemate with the Jihadis dug in on the outskirts of the city. But now the Syrian Army -- backed by Russian and Iranians forces -- has successfully pushed the enemy at least 15 miles away from the city and is still advancing.
Many military analysts see this as the beginning of the end for the Idlib Pocket, a thought echoed by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in a televised speech delivered on Monday (17th Feb):
“We are fully aware that this liberation does not mean the end of the war, nor does it mean the fall of plans, nor the demise of terrorism, nor does it mean the surrender of enemies … but it certainly means sweeping their noses in the soil as a prelude to complete defeat, sooner or later.”
Assad also dismissed recent statements and threats from Turkey's President Erdogan.
“The battle to liberate the countryside of Aleppo and Idlib continues, regardless of some empty audio bubbles coming from the north, as does the battle to liberate all the Syrian soil, crush terrorism and achieve stability.”
The collapse of the Idlib Pocket, when it inevitably comes, will prepare the way for the final stage of the nine-year-old conflict, the retaking of the areas occupied by US-backed Kurdish forces. After that the unity of the country will have been restored.
