The insurgents, led by the jihadi group Hayat Tahrir alSham (HTS), said opposition forces have started the "final stage" of their offensive by encircling Damascus.
It is the first time opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when government troops recaptured the region adjacent to the capital following a yearslong siege.
Underscoring the possibility of an uprising in the capital, protesters in a Damascus suburb tore down a statue of Mr Assad’s father and smashed it to pieces. In other suburbs soldiers changed into civilian clothes and deserted their posts, residents said.
President Assad remains in Damascus, Syria’s state news agency said.
The insurgents have also entered the suburbs of Homs, according to residents and military sources. The rebels reportedly breached government defences from the north and east of the city. In the early hours of today, Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said that insurgent forces "fully liberated" Syria's central city of Homs.
A rebel commander said they had also taken control of an army camp and villages outside the city.
The Syrian military, which has been reinforcing Homs and hammering the rebels with intense airstrikes, did not immediately comment on the reports.
This story is from the December 08, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the December 08, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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