The Tactics Institute for Security and Counter-Terrorism has raised serious concerns over the deteriorating situation in Syria. Rebel forces have undertaken their largest offensive against the Syrian government. This latest attack was launched into government-controlled areas by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. They have seized a swathe of land across the northwest of the country, including most of the second city of Aleppo, after the Syrian military rapidly shrank its troops. This situation could have devastating outcomes for the Middle East.

The rebel forces are now fighting the military near the central city of Hama, while the government’s key partner, Russia, is carrying out airstrikes against them. Syrian rebels are speeding toward the central city of Homs, where residents are running ahead of potential conflicts between the rebels and regime forces. The rebels grabbed Hama to the north, the second main city taken from President Bashar al-Assad’s forces in just over a week of fighting.

Around 370,000 people, mostly women and children, have now been displaced in Syria due to the latest fighting, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The difficulty for the Syrian people would be even more painful if the fighting continued. This awful, dangerous situation will only worsen the suffering of people.

The Tactics Institute calls on the government of Syria and rebel forces to uphold the role of security forces to protect the people of Syria. We urge the United Nations, the European Union, and allied countries, to condemn this situation. We call on the Arab Union and OIC to review the deteriorating situation.