Syrian government forces, backed by Hezbollah fighters, have finally taken control over the strategically important border town of Qusayr, effectively ending weeks of fighting over the area.
Both sides have thrown a lot of forces into the battle for the town, owing to its location along an important highway connecting Damascus with the northern portion of the country.
Rebels confirmed the town had been lost but were light on details. Syrian state media claimed a number of rebel fighters had been forced to surrender and captured when the town finally fell.
While this certainly gives the government some sense of momentum, analysts are quick to note that there is still a lot of war to fight. Hezbollah is sending its forces to Aleppo, a much bigger city and a much bigger challenge, where a stalemate has lingered for almost a year.
