Hours after the rebels stormed the Syrian city of Homs, they said they broke through the gates of Damascus and began entering the city, Reuters news agency reported.
This incredible march has left the government led by President Bashar al-Assad in a shambles.
According to the military watchdog, the movement of rebels in Damascus occurred after the Syrian army withdrew from the southern part of the country, leaving other areas, including provincial capitals, under the control of the opposition forces.
The terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) said on Saturday that it has taken control of Homs, which is the largest province in the country, on the border of Iraq, Jordan and Lebanon. HTS commander-in-chief Lt. Col. Hassan Abdul-Ghani announced: “Our operations continue to liberate the entire country of Damascus, and our eyes are focused on the capital.” The group also claimed to have taken control of Sweida, Quneitra, and Daraa within a 24-hour period as part of its blitzkrieg campaign.
On Sunday morning, the sound of gunfire was reported in the center of Damascus, according to two residents. The origin of the shooting remains unclear, but the development comes as the insurgents are closing in on the capital.
What is the state of the war?
Currently, with Homs falling into the hands of the rebels it was a major victory for them as they have already taken control of the cities of Aleppo and Hama, as well as large parts of the south.
The fall of Homs has been a major threat to the government as it has isolated Damascus from the coastal region which is the stronghold of Assad’s Alawite sect and where its Russian allies have a military and air base.
For the first time in the country’s civil war, the government now controls only three of the 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. Developments this past week were among the biggest in recent years.