Syrian rebel forces have reached Damascus as the capital city’s defence forces collapsed and intense gunfire sounds were heard as reported by multiple residents of the city. This comes after the rebels captured Homs and Aleppo posing a threat to the 24-year-old rule of President Bashar Assad.
“Militarily, Damascus has fallen,” a source familiar with the rebels told CNN.
The recent advances by opposition factions, including a significant push by a group with roots in al-Qaida, are among the largest in years.
This group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is designated as a terrorist organization by both the US and the United Nations, has made substantial progress in its efforts to overthrow Assad’s government. The insurgents have faced minimal resistance from the Syrian army during their offensive.
Hezbollah withdraws forces from Damascus outskirts, Homs
Hezbollah has withdrawn its forces from the outskirts of Damascus and the Homs region, according to a source close to the Lebanese group.
The group “has instructed its fighters in recent hours to withdraw from the Homs area, with some heading to Latakia (in Syria) and others to the Hermel area in Lebanon”, AFP reported quoting a source, and noted that “Hezbollah fighters have also vacated their positions around Damascus.”
Intense gunfire sounds in Damascus
Intense gunfire was heard in the center of Damascus on Sunday, as rebels advanced towards the Syrian capital, according to two residents living near the city’s heart, 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 is gone, Homs is free’
Syrian rebels announced they had taken full control of the crucial city of Homs early on Sunday after just one day of fighting, further threatening President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule as insurgents 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, down with Bashar al-Assad.”
Rebels fired into the air in triumph, while youths tore down posters of the Syrian president, marking a dramatic week-long collapse of Assad’s territorial control.
Doha diplomacy
The foreign ministers of Iran, Russia, and Turkey, meeting in Qatar, called for an end to the ongoing hostilities. Turkey, a key supporter of the rebels, participated in the discussions.
“Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people,” Qatar’s top diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said, AP reported.
He expressed surprise at the rapid advance of the rebels, warning that there is a serious threat to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He cautioned that without urgent action to initiate a political process, the war could “damage and destroy what remains” of the country.