Regime forces tighten noose on opposition in Zabadani
The Syrian army, assisted by Hezbollah, is making gains in the city of Zabadani against opposition fighters, who have barricaded themselves in the old town.
DAMASCUS, Syria — The military operation in Zabadani launched by the Syrian regime and supported by Hezbollah continues into its second week. Zabadani lies in the northwest of Rif Dimashq governorate, near the Lebanese border and the road between Damascus and Beirut.
The operation began on July 3 with the objective of regaining control of the city that had fallen to opposition forces in January 2012. On July 15, hundreds of planes flew over the city and dropped 470 barrel bombs.
The city of Zabadani is surrounded by mountain ranges on the east and west, and its main road cuts through the center of the city. The armed opposition — represented mainly by the Hamza Brigades, affiliated with Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham — now control only parts of the city. The opposition’s influence is mainly concentrated in Zabadani’s old quarter and some of the surrounding neighborhoods.
Ahmed al-Shamaa, a media activist working with the opposition fighters, told Al-Monitor via Skype that the opposition fighters are deployed over an area of 5 kilometers (3 miles) from north to south of Zabadani and 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from east to west, noting that the area of the city is 40 square kilometers (25 square miles).
