‘We can barely believe what’s happening’: how Syria’s frozen conflict flared into hot war that could topple Assad

An anti-government fighter covers his ears as a multi-barrel rocket launcher fires against regime forces, in the northern outskirts of Syria's west-central city of Hama. Photograph: Bakr Al Kassem/AFP/Getty Images

When Islamist militants swept into her home town of Aleppo little over a week ago, Rama Alhalabi sheltered indoors as fear engulfed her. Forces loyal to president Bashar al-Assad, who had sought to reassure residents that nothing was happening, suddenly deserted the city. But as the insurgency pushed south, rapidly seizing control of the city of Hama on the road to Damascus, Alhalabi’s fears about life under militia rule have slowly ebbed. Instead they have been replaced by fears that her friends in the army will be abandoned by their commanding officers as Assad’s regime loses its grip.

“People in Aleppo are feeling more comfortable now we’re further from the areas under the regime’s control,” said the 29-year-old, while still using a pseudonym in fear Assad could retake the city.