Syrian regime forces enter key town amid fierce clashes

First, let's remember that the reason for the Syrian army and volunteer militias moving to forcibly liberate these places from the warlords and extremists who are holding them is that those warlords and extremists kept firing their heavy weapons at civilians.

Second, let's remember that the so often demonized 'barrel bombs' are more expensive and dangerous to use than the ubiquitous high explosive shells, and are not more destructive, or deadly, or terrifying than those mass produced shells, UNLESS you are a sniper or gun thug occupying the roof of a building of civilians, in which case something that is designed to stay on the roof and spray shrapnel there, rather than to smash into the interior and wreak havoc there, means that the friends and family of those who are being held beneath you can try and kill you knowing they've done what they can to not further endanger those in the interior.

And third, let's remember that the folks holding these places are WARLORDS AND EXTREMISTS, hardly the sort who have the best interests of the people of these places in mind.