[Today's Prayer] Syrian Civil War Heats Up Again… Rebels Launch Large-Scale Offensive in Northwest

The Syrian civil war, which had been in a lull due to the government's dominance, is heating up again.

This is because Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the largest rebel group in Syria, is concentrating its attacks on government forces in northwest Syria.

AFP reported that HTS launched a large-scale offensive targeting government forces as it advanced toward Aleppo, the second largest city in northwest Syria.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a civil war monitoring group based in the UK, said that 255 people, including 24 civilians, were killed on both sides as the small armed groups of rebels supported by HTS and Turkiye initiated armed conflict on the 27th .

HTS's predecessor was the Islamic extremist terrorist group Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front (Jabhat al-Nusra), but it now officially claims to have severed ties with Al-Qaeda and operates independently.

(Omitted)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights assessed that HTS and others have captured more than 50 villages in northern and northwestern Syria, which is the biggest advance in years.

A Syrian government official said, "Military reinforcements have arrived in Aleppo," and "There is fierce fighting in the western part of Aleppo, but the rebels have not yet reached the city."

The local daily Al-Watan reported that "Syrian government forces have bombed the terrorist group's bases in Idlib and Al-Dana in the northwest."

Russia and Iran, the backers of Syria's Bashar al-Assad government, are also on edge over the rebels' large-scale attacks for the first time in years.

(Omitted)

These offensives by the Syrian rebels seem to be related to the current situation in which Russia is fighting the war in Ukraine and Iran is directly and indirectly clashing with Israel in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, weakening its support for the Syrian government.

In addition, the government forces were hit when Israel bombed the Syrian capital Damascus and the border area with Lebanon, claiming to check Iran’s influence.

The Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011 was won by the government forces led by President Assad thanks to Russia’s intervention in 2015, but it is not over yet.

HTS, which controls most of Idlib Province and parts of nearby Aleppo, Hama, and Latakia Provinces in northwestern Syria, is considered the most powerful rebel group in Syria. This organization is similar to Al Qaeda in that it believes in Salafism and jihadism, which are Sunni Islamic fundamentalism, and is confronting the government forces with the ultimate goal of establishing an Islamist state.

In northeastern Syria, the Kurdish militia Syrian Democratic Forces are stationed with the support of the United States.

Source: Yonhap News

David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished. The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the work on the temple of God, and every willing person skilled in any craft will help you in all the work. The officials and all the people will obey your every command.” (1 Chronicles 28:20-21)

In the Syrian civil war that broke out in 2011, the government forces seemed to be in a lull due to Russia's intervention in 2015, but as Russia fought a war with Ukraine and Iran also began fighting with Israel in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, support for the Syrian government weakened, and rebels are launching offensives again.

In the armed conflict between the Syrian government and rebel forces, 255 people, including 24 civilians, were killed on both sides, but no one recognizes this loss. Lord, please have mercy on the land of Syria.

Even though the war has created many refugees and victims for over 13 years, the government and rebel forces are fighting each other out of greed to become the lord of Syria. God, may you judge the shameful behavior of the government and rebel forces. Now, may the foolishness of the government and rebel forces who fight in the civil war be revealed to the whole world, and let there be repentance before the gospel and the word, so that true peace may come to Syria.

Please come into the hearts of the Syrian souls who will be built as the temple of the Lord, and let this be a time to meet God, the true master, who is with them, does not leave them, and does not abandon them when they are most difficult, poor, and suffering.

In the midst of all this, please remember the Syrian church that has not fled but continues to serve the region and proclaim the gospel, and let them be strong and courageous in carrying out the mission of saving souls that our Lord Jesus Christ has entrusted to them.

Just as you gathered the Arab churches back together before the gospel through the Syrian diaspora scattered throughout Arab countries, please restore Syria to the vision of the Arab high priest, and let it be established as a temple of the Lord that goes beyond Arab countries and fills the nations!