Syrian army launches counterattack in Hama

Syrian government forces launched a counteroffensive against rebels around the key city of Hama on Wednesday, after suffering heavy losses further north, a war monitor said. Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, head of the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), visited Damascus on Wednesday. Historic Citadel of Aleppo. Photos posted on the rebels’ Telegram channel showed Jolani waving to supporters from an open car while visiting the historic fort.While the advancing rebels met little resistance at the start of their offensive, the fighting around Hama was particularly intense. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor, the gates of Hama on Tuesday and the fighting created a wave. Displacement: Government forces backed by air support launched a counterattack against HTS rebels and allied factions in Hama province on Wednesday, a Britain-based war monitor said. Villages, he added.Assad ordered a 50 percent pay rise for career soldiers, as he tries to bolster his forces for retaliation. A military source, quoted by SANA, reported “heavy fighting” against rebels in northern Hama province since morning, adding that “joint Syrian “Russian warplanes” were part of the effort.”