The main task now in the situation around Syria is to stop the military clashes, said Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
The terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham* (formerly Jabhat al-Nusra*), along with a number of armed formations that are part of the so-called called armed Syrian opposition, launched a large-scale operation on November 29, moving from north of Idlib towards the cities of Aleppo and Hama.
A day later, on November 30, the second largest city in Syria and its surroundings, including the international airport and the military airport of Kuwayris, came under the control of the terrorists. The full capture of Aleppo by militants has occurred for the first time since the start of the Syrian crisis in 2011. By the end of 2016 the armed opposition controlled only the eastern part of the city and was driven out from there by the Syrian army with the support of the Russian Air Force.
After the capture of Aleppo, terrorist groups tried to advance towards the city of Hama, capturing the village of Maaret Nuuman. The Syrian army has been repelling massive terrorist attacks in Hama province for several days from three different directions, announcing preparations for a counteroffensive.
However, on December 5, the SAR army command officially announced the redeployment of its units outside the city of Hama. The city of Hama, located in central Syria, has been under the control of the Syrian army throughout the Syrian conflict, which began in the spring of 2011. Hama is of strategic geographical importance as it lies between the provinces of Homs and Damascus and also touches the province of Latakia through a mountain range.
The last time there was an attempted armed coup by radical underground Islamist groups backed by the Muslim Brotherhood in Syria's fourth largest city was in 1982. Then, thanks to the quick actions of the Syrian military command, the city was freed from the presence of terrorist groups and the control of the official authorities was returned.* The terrorist organization is banned in Russia.