Insurgents’ gorgeous march across Syria accelerated Saturday with information that they’d reached the gates of the capital and that authorities forces had deserted the central metropolis of Homs. The federal government was compelled to disclaim rumors that President Bashar Assad had fled the nation.
The lack of Homs was a probably crippling blow for Assad. It stands at an vital intersection between Damascus, the capital, and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian chief’s base of assist and residential to a Russian strategic naval base.
The professional-government Sham FM information outlet reported that authorities forces took positions outdoors Syria’s third-largest metropolis, with out elaborating. Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, mentioned Syrian troops and members of various safety businesses withdrew from the town, including that rebels entered elements of it.
The insurgency introduced later Saturday that it had taken over Homs. Town’s seize was a serious victory for the rebels, who’ve already seized the cities of Aleppo and Hama, in addition to giant elements of the south, in a lightning offensive that started Nov. 27. Analysts mentioned insurgent management of Homs can be a game-changer.
The rebels’ strikes round Damascus, reported by the monitor and a insurgent commander, got here after the Syrian military withdrew from a lot of southern a part of the nation, leaving extra areas, together with a number of provincial capitals, beneath the management of opposition fighters.
For the primary time within the nation’s long-running civil conflict, the federal government now has management of solely three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus.
The advances prior to now week had been among the many largest lately by opposition factions, led by a gaggle that has its origins in al-Qaida and is taken into account a terrorist group by the U.S. and the United Nations. Of their push to overthrow Assad’s authorities, the insurgents, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group, or HTS, have met little resistance from the Syrian military.
The fast insurgent beneficial properties, coupled with the dearth of assist from Assad’s erstwhile allies, posed probably the most critical menace to his rule for the reason that begin of the conflict.
The U.N.’s particular envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, referred to as Saturday for pressing talks in Geneva to make sure an “orderly political transition.” Talking to reporters on the annual Doha Discussion board in Qatar, he mentioned the scenario in Syria was altering by the minute. Russian Overseas Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose nation is Assad’s chief worldwide backer, mentioned he feels “sorry for the Syrian folks.”
In Damascus, folks rushed to top off on provides. Hundreds went to Syria’s border with Lebanon, making an attempt to go away the nation.
Many outlets within the capital had been shuttered, a resident instructed The Related Press, and people nonetheless open ran out of staples akin to sugar. Some had been promoting gadgets at 3 times the traditional worth.
“The scenario may be very unusual. We aren’t used to that,” the resident mentioned, insisting on anonymity, fearing retributions.
“Persons are fearful whether or not there will likely be a battle (in Damascus) or not.”
It was the primary time that opposition forces reached the outskirts of Damascus since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the world following a yearslong siege. The U.N. mentioned it was shifting noncritical employees outdoors the nation as a precaution.
Syrian opposition fighters take away a authorities Syrian flag from an official constructing in Salamiyah, east of Hama, Syria Syria, Saturday Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photograph/Ghaith Alsayed)
Assad’s standing
Syria’s state media denied social media rumors that Assad left the nation, saying he was performing his duties in Damascus.
He has had little, if any, assist from his allies. Russia is busy with its conflict in Ukraine. Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which at one level despatched hundreds of fighters to shore up Assad’s forces, has been weakened by a yearlong battle with Israel. Iran has seen its proxies throughout the area degraded by common Israeli airstrikes.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Saturday posted on social media that the USA ought to keep away from participating militarily in Syria. Individually, President Joe Biden’s nationwide safety adviser mentioned the Biden administration had no intention of intervening there.
Pedersen mentioned a date for talks in Geneva on the implementation of a U.N. decision, adopted in 2015 and calling for a Syrian-led political course of, can be introduced later. The decision requires the institution of a transitional governing physique, adopted by the drafting of a brand new structure and ending with U.N.-supervised elections.
Later Saturday, overseas ministers and senior diplomats from eight key international locations, together with Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt, Turkey and Iran, together with Pederson, gathered on the sidelines of the Doha Summit to debate the scenario in Syria.
In a press release, the contributors affirmed their assist for a political resolution to the Syrian disaster “that will result in the tip of army exercise and shield civilians.” Additionally they agreed on the significance of strengthening worldwide efforts to extend support to the Syrian folks.
The insurgents’ march
Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition conflict monitor, mentioned insurgents had been within the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya. Opposition fighters had been marching towards the Damascus suburb of Harasta, he added.
A commander with the insurgents, Hassan Abdul-Ghani, posted on the Telegram messaging app that opposition forces had begun the “closing stage” of their offensive by encircling Damascus.
HTS controls a lot of northwest Syria and in 2017 arrange a “salvation authorities” to run day-to-day affairs within the area. Lately, HTS chief Abu Mohammed al-Golani has sought to remake the group’s picture, slicing ties with al-Qaida, ditching hard-line officers and vowing to embrace pluralism and non secular tolerance.
The shock offensive started Nov. 27, throughout which gunmen captured the northern metropolis of Aleppo, Syria’s largest, and the central metropolis of Hama, the nation’s fourth-largest metropolis.
Opposition activists mentioned Saturday {that a} day earlier, insurgents entered Palmyra, which is residence to invaluable archaeological websites had been in authorities fingers since being taken from the Islamic State group in 2017.
To the south, Syrian troops left a lot of the province of Quneitra, together with the primary Baath Metropolis, activists mentioned.
Syrian Observatory mentioned authorities troops have withdrawn from a lot of the 2 southern provinces.
The Syrian military mentioned in a press release that it carried out redeployment and repositioning in Sweida and Daraa after its checkpoints got here beneath assault by “terrorists.” The military mentioned it was establishing a “robust and coherent defensive and safety belt within the space,” apparently to defend Damascus from the south.
The Syrian authorities has referred to opposition gunmen as terrorists since battle broke out in March 2011.
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Diplomacy in Doha
The overseas ministers of Iran, Russia and Turkey, assembly in Qatar, referred to as for an finish to the hostilities. Turkey is a important backer of the rebels.
Qatar’s high diplomat, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, criticized Assad for failing to reap the benefits of the lull in preventing lately to handle the nation’s underlying issues. “Assad didn’t seize this chance to begin participating and restoring his relationship together with his folks,” he mentioned.
Sheikh Mohammed mentioned he was stunned by how shortly the rebels have superior and mentioned there’s a actual menace to Syria’s “territorial integrity.” He mentioned the conflict might “harm and destroy what’s left if there isn’t any sense of urgency” to begin a political course of.
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