Syrian forces hold city of Hama against Islamist rebels after fall of Aleppo

Forces fighting for the Syrian government have clashed with Islamist rebels outside a major city in central Syria, as they attempt to stall the rapid advance of the insurgents.

The country's civil war, which has been raging since 2011, intensified in the past week after jihadists and Turkish-backed allies began a fresh offensive.

They have seized dozens of towns, including Aleppo, which was the country's largest city prior to the war, in a major blow to the Syrian government led by President Bassar Al-Assad.

On Wednesday, local time, rebels were repelled from the outskirts of Hama, a strategically located city in central Syria that is key for the Assad regime to safeguard the capital Damascus.

United Nations Syria envoy Geir Pedersen warned the Security Council on Tuesday that the situation was "extremely fluid and dangerous", adding that Syria faced danger of "further division, deterioration, and destruction".

State media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said there had been intense fighting over Jabal Zain al-Abidin, a hill 5 kilometres north-east of Hama and overlooking a major road into the city.

Abu al-Qaqaa, a rebel commander in the area, said his forces were forced to retreat "under heavy enemy bombardment by air".

Another rebel source told the Reuters news agency they had suffered a setback in the insurgent advance on Hama.

Iran-backed Afghan and Iraqi militia helped reinforce the government's frontline at Hama, where army units had regrouped after losing Aleppo, rebel and army sources said.

Syrian state media reported reinforcements had arrived on Tuesday.

Over 115,000 people displaced, UN says

Syrian rebels clashed with the government's forces in villages to the east and north of Hama.

The loss of Hama by the government would be a major blow to the Assad regime, which is backed by both Iran and Russia.

This week, Iran indicated it was considering sending troops if requested.

Russian and government bombardment of the rebel enclave in the north-west has intensified over recent days, with air strikes targeting residential areas and medical centres in Aleppo and Idlib, residents and rescue workers have said.

The rapid advance of jihadist insurgents risked further destabilising the region, which had already been grappling with conflict in Lebanon and Gaza.

In the seven days since the escalation in Syria, the UN's deputy humanitarian coordinator for the crisis, David Carden, said more than 115,000 people had been displaced in the Idlib and northern Aleppo regions.

The insurgents' rapid advance over the past week has brought them new territory that they may struggle to govern, with food and fuel shortages already reported in Aleppo.

Offensive puts Syrian president under strain

The renewed push by insurgents and the fall of Aleppo has shaken the legitimacy of Mr Assad, analysts say.

"Assad's regime fought ferociously from 2012 to 2016 to recapture half the city, so losing it so quickly represents a humiliating defeat and illustrates the fragility of regime rule in Syria," the Middle East Institute's Charles Lister said.

David Rigoulet-Roze from the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs said the crisis came at a critical time for the Assad regime.

"The war, sanctions and a stagnant economy have eroded the regime's popular support, even among those who backed it in 2011," he said.

"Three-quarters of the population lives below the poverty line, and discontent is growing across communities."

Both of Syria's allies have also been mired in war themselves, with Iran supporting a number of groups fighting Israel, and Russia busy with its offensive in Ukraine.

"Assad knows his regime hangs by a thread and seeks to deepen ties with Moscow to reduce reliance on Iran," Mr Rigoulet-Roze said.

AFP/Reuters