Syrian rebel forces have arrived Damascus The capital city’s defense forces collapsed and multiple residents of the city reported hearing intense gunfire. The rebels have posed a threat to President Bashar Assad’s 24-year-old rule after capturing Homs and Aleppo.
“Militarily, Damascus has fallen,” a source familiar with the rebels told CNN.
Recent advances by opposition groups have been the biggest in years, including a significant push by a group rooted in al-Qaeda.
This group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has been designated a terrorist organization by both the US and the United Nations, has made significant progress in efforts to topple Assad’s government. The rebels have faced minimal resistance from the Syrian army during their offensive.
Hezbollah withdrew forces from Homs, a suburb of Damascus
Hezbollah has withdrawn its forces from areas outside Damascus and the Homs region, according to a source close to the Lebanese group.
The group “in recent hours has instructed its fighters to withdraw from the Homs area, with some moving to Latakia (in Syria) and others to the Hermel area in Lebanon”, AFP reported, citing a source, noting that “there are also Hezbollah fighters. Their Places vacated.
Heavy gunfire sounds in Damascus
Intense gunfire was heard in central Damascus on Sunday, as rebels advanced toward the Syrian capital, according to two residents who live near the heart of the city, Reuters reported.
The source of the shooting remained unclear. Meanwhile, Syrian rebels Claimed full control of the strategic city of Homs after just one day of fighting.
‘Assad gone, Homs free’
Syrian rebels announced they had taken full control of the crucial city of Homs early Sunday after just a day of fighting, further threatening President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule as rebels advanced on the capital Damascus.
As the army withdrew, thousands of Homs residents filled the streets, celebrating with chants of “Assad is gone, Homs is free” and “Long live Syria with Bashar al-Assad”.
Rebels fired into the air in victory, while youths tore down posters of the Syrian president, marking a dramatic weeks-long collapse of Assad’s regional control.
Doha Diplomacy
The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey met in Qatar to call for an end to the ongoing hostilities. Turkey, the main backer of the rebels, took part in the discussions.
“Assad has not taken advantage of this opportunity to connect and restore relations with his people,” said Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar’s top diplomat.
He expressed surprise at the rapid advance of the rebels, warning that there was a serious threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity”. He warned that without immediate steps to start a political process, the war could “damage and destroy” what is left of the country.