Syrian troops withdraw from the key city of Homs as rebels close in on the capital, Damascus

Latest:

• Thousands are rushing to the border between Syria and Lebanon.
• Rebels say they are in the ‘final stages’ of encircling Damascus.
• UN envoy to Syria calls for ‘orderly political transition.’
• Officials from Iran, Russia and Turkey meet in Qatar.

The insurgents’ dramatic march across Syria accelerated on Saturday with news that they had reached the gates of the capital and that government forces had abandoned the central city of Homs. The government was forced to deny rumors that President Bashar al-Assad had fled the country.

Losing Homs could cripple Assad. It stands at a key crossroads between Damascus and the Syrian coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus – the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian military base.

The pro-government Sham FM reported that government forces took positions outside Syria’s third-largest city, without elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights based in Britain, said that the Syrian army and members of various security agencies have withdrawn from the city, adding that the rebels have entered some parts of it.

The capture of Homs is a major victory for the insurgents, who have already captured the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south, in a campaign that began on November 27. a game changer.

For the first time in the country’s protracted civil war, the government now controls only three of the 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus.

The development this past week was one of the biggest in recent years for the opposition, led by a group with roots in al-Qaeda and considered a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations. As they advanced, the insurgents – led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS – group met little resistance from the Syrian army.

The rebels’ rapid gains, coupled with the support of Assad’s old supporters, have been the biggest threat to his rule since the war began.

The UN’s special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, on Saturday called for urgent talks in Geneva to ensure an “orderly political transition.” Speaking to reporters at the annual Doha conference in Qatar, he said the situation in Syria is changing by the minute.

They do not rebel at the gates of Damascus

The rebel movement in Damascus, reported by the opposition and a rebel commander, came after the Syrian army withdrew from the southern part of the country – leaving other areas, including two provincial capitals, under opposition control.

In Damascus, people rushed to collect goods. Thousands rushed to the border between Syria and Lebanon, trying to leave the country.

WATCH | It is reported that the rebels are getting closer to Damascus:

It is reported that the rebels are approaching Damascus before the lightning

Syrian rebels stormed the capital Damascus on Saturday, claiming to have seized most of the country’s south.

Many shops in the capital are closed, a resident told The Associated Press, and those that remain open have run out of basic items such as sugar. Some stores were selling items at three times the normal price.

“The situation is very strange. We are not used to that,” said the resident, withholding his name, fearing punishment.
“People are worried about whether there will be a war [in Damascus] or not.”

It was the first time opposition forces had reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when the Syrian army recaptured the area following a years-long siege.

Assad did not flee, state media reported

Syrian media have denied rumors circulating on social media that Assad has left the country, saying he will do his job in Damascus.

He received little, if any, help from his teammates. Russia is busy with its war in Ukraine. Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which once sent thousands of troops to bolster Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a year-long conflict with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies across the region decimated by regular Israeli airstrikes.

US President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the US should avoid military involvement in Syria.

Pedersen said the date of the talks in Geneva regarding the implementation of UN Resolution 2254 will be announced later. This resolution, which was adopted in 2015, proposed a Syrian-led political process, starting with the establishment of an interim governing body, followed by the drafting of a new constitution and ending with elections overseen by the UN.

Later on Saturday, foreign ministers and senior politicians from eight key countries – including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran – and Pedersen, met on the sidelines of the Doha summit to discuss the situation in Syria.

In a statement issued late Saturday, the participants affirmed their support for a political solution to the Syrian crisis “that will lead to an end to the war and protect civilians.” They also agreed on the importance of strengthening international efforts to increase aid to the Syrian people.

Guerrilla march

Abdurrahman, of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said that the rebels are in the Damascus areas of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition forces were also marching from eastern Syria towards the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he said.

The rebel commander, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging service that the opposition forces had begun the “final phase” of their offensive around Damascus.

HTS controls much of Northwestern Syria, and in 2017 established a “salvation government” to run day-to-day affairs in the region. In recent years, HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani has attempted to rebrand the group, cut ties with al-Qaeda, ditch hardline officials and vow to embrace diversity and religious tolerance.

WATCH | Why the war in Syria has just reignited:

Why is the war in Syria so recent?

Syria’s civil war has reignited after years of hiatus, with a coalition of opposition forces quickly taking control of dozens of major cities. CBC’s Chris Brown reveals how the situation began and the key players who fought for control.

The shocking offensive began on November 27, when gunmen captured the northern city of Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, and the central city of Hama, the country’s fourth largest city.

Opposition activists said last Saturday, militants entered Palmyra, home to important archaeological sites that have been in government hands since they were taken from the Islamic State group in 2017.

To the south, Syrian forces have left most of Quneitra province, including the main Baath City, activists said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had withdrawn from most of the two southern provinces.

The Syrian army said in a statement on Saturday that it had redeployed and repositioned areas in Sweida and Daraa after attacks by “terrorists.” The army said it was imposing “a strong and consistent belt of defense and security in the area,” apparently to protect Damascus in the south.

The Syrian government has labeled opposition gunmen as terrorists since the outbreak of war in March 2011.