In a dramatic turn of events, Syrian rebels claimed full control of Homs and advanced toward Damascus, declaring the capital “free of Assad.”
According to reports by international media, the rebel coalition led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham began its offensive on November 27, capturing key cities, including Aleppo and Hama. The Syrian army confirmed the end of President Bashar al-Assad’s rule following the rapid rebel advance, Reuters reported.
Syria’s civil war, sparked by Assad’s crackdown on pro-democracy protests, has devastated the nation, killing over 500,000 people and displacing 3.7 million according to the UN. The conflict has forced more than half the population to flee their homes.
US President-elect Donald Trump commented on the crisis, urging the US to avoid involvement, stating on Truth Social, “Syria is a mess, but not our fight. Let it play out.”
Rebels proclaimed a “new era” for Syria, urging exiled Syrians to return to what they called a “free Syria,” ending over 50 years of Baath rule.
Since the rebels’ sweep into Aleppo a week ago, government defenses have crumbled at a dizzying speed as insurgents seized a string of major cities and rose up in places where the rebellion had long seemed over.
The twin threats to strategically vital Homs and the capital Damascus now pose an existential threat to Assad’s decades of rule in Syria and the continued influence there of his main regional backer Iran.
A Homs resident, and army and rebel sources said the insurgents had breached government defenses from the north and east of the city. A rebel commander said they had taken control of an army camp and villages outside the city.
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