Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad has decreed that soldiers’ pay should be increased in light of the opposition factions reaching the outskirts of the city of Hama after gaining control of Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria. The regime news agency SANA reported that the increase applies only to soldiers on active duty, not to reservists or veterans, and that it will take effect as from yesterday.
Assad’s decision comes days after the Syrian opposition took control of the city of Aleppo and large areas of the north west, reaching the outskirts of the city of Hama in the centre of the country. The opposition factions are seeking to extend their control over the city of Hama, which would open the way for them to the northern areas around Homs, allowing them to control strategic locations.
On 27 November, the opposition factions within the Military Operations Administration led by Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham began an offensive codenamed Operation Deterrence of Aggression against the regime and the Iranian militias supporting it. This operation resulted in their control over the city of Aleppo, the second largest city in Syria, in addition to control over the entire administrative area of Idlib and their arrival to the outskirts of Hama.
The Syrian National Army, a group of local factions supported by Turkiye, began another military operation on Sunday under the name Dawn of Freedom against the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and the Kurdish People’s Defence Units, which led to their control over the city of Tal Rifaat and villages and towns in rural areas to the east of Aleppo.
READ: Russia strongly backs Syria leadership, says rebels are getting outside help