The fall of the city of Maarat al-Numan, the largest city in the southern countryside of Idlib, in northern Syria, in the hands of the Syrian regime and Russia, constituted a new setback for the Syrian opposition, both militarily and politically.

The city is considered one of the most prominent strongholds of the Syrian revolution since its inception, as it represents a strategic depth in the opposition-held areas, as it is a gateway and a node linking the provinces of Idlib in the north, Aleppo in the east, and Lattakia in the west.

The importance of the city lies, according to writer and journalist Firas Fahham, in that it is located on the international road between the capital, Damascus, and the economic capital, Aleppo, considering that controlling it may open the way for the regime of Bashar al-Assad to control other major cities such as Saraqib, Jericho and Jisr al-Shughour.

Fahham told Al-Jazeera Net that the loss of Maarat al-Numan means a major humanitarian crisis, because it contains a human reservoir against the Syrian regime, as it is one of the largest opposition cities and a basic popular incubator for the Syrian revolutionaries and contains more than 200 thousand people.

Opposition options
According to observers, the options of the armed opposition factions, after the fall of Ma’ar al-Numan, have become more limited to strengthening their defense capabilities than searching for offensive options, especially if Turkey, the United States and the European Union continue to rely solely on diplomatic and economic pressure on Russia, without military measures that reinforce From the resilience of the armed opposition.

In the context, the spokesman for the National Liberation Front, Captain Naji Mustafa, from western Aleppo, confirms to Al-Jazeera Net that the loss of Maarat al-Numan is a major shock and a setback for the opposition, but the latter will continue to confront the Russian and Iranian military arsenal and the Assad forces on more than one front.

For his part, writer and political researcher at the Bridges Center for Studies Abdul-Wahab Assi said that the opposition factions are heading to intensify dependence on the mechanisms of depleting the Syrian regime through methods of fighting, fortifications, confrontations, etc., in light of its inability to stop the ground incursion and confront the massive and violent fiery density provided by Russia.

Speaking to Al-Jazeera, Asi adds that the possibility of Turkey abandoning the Astana path that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan hinted may open a limited space for the opposition factions to maneuver offensively, but that also needs boldness in decision-making, especially from the national army operating in the olive branch and shield areas. Euphrates.

A big disappointment
The displaced people and the Syrians in Idlib governorate, its countryside and the countryside of Aleppo are disappointed with the actual Turkish position in particular and the international community in general, with the Turkish points exposed to shelling and direct targeting from the Syrian regime, at a time when Ankara is satisfied with just the media response.

Thousands of civilians were displaced from Idlib to escape confrontations (Al-Jazeera)

This disappointment escalated with the displacement of tens of thousands towards the Turkish border, amid a psychological state of fear and anxiety, according to what was told by Al Jazeera Net, the director of the "Syria Response" coordinator team, Muhammad Hallaj.

Hallaj indicates that the displaced people will be heading towards several axes towards the relatively safe villages towards the Syrian-Turkish borders, towards the borders, border camps, the Euphrates Shield areas and the olive branch, but the major problem remains in securing the needs of more than 77,000 civilians.

The effects of the Ma`rat al-Numan loss not only lie in the massive displacement of the population, but have also opened a door of questions to civilians in Idlib Governorate and Aleppo countryside.

Some questioned whether the current battles and the large-scale progress supported by Russia from land and air have agreed borders with Turkey? Or is Russia seeking to complete control of all Syrian territory to put it under the control of the Assad regime and its allies?