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TOPSHOT – Anti-government fighters ride in the back of a pick truck in the city of Suran between Aleppo and Hama on December 3, 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP) (Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

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BAKR ALKASEM/Getty Images

TOPSHOT – Anti-government fighters ride in the back of a pick truck in the city of Suran between Aleppo and Hama on December 3, 2024. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP) (Photo by BAKR ALKASEM/AFP via Getty Images)

BAKR ALKASEM/Getty Images

Syrian anti-government rebels claim they have entered the city of Hama – a key Syrian government stronghold.

They are continuing their momentum from last week, when they also captured Syria’s second largest city, Aleppo. Since the war began in 2011, half a million people have been killed and many millions more displaced.

The Syrian civil war has been in a stalemate for years. Now the rebels are gaining ground against the oppressive regime of Bashar al-Assad. Will the group ultimately end its control over the country?

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This episode was produced by Marc Rivers and Michael Levitt, with sound engineering by Gilly Moon. It was edited by Courtney Dorning and James Hider. It contains reports from Ruth Sherlock. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.