The lightning advance of the rebels in Syria suggests that the Syrian government led by President Bashar al-Assad could fall within a week. According to their own statements, the rebels have now taken over the central prison in the city of Homs and released hundreds of prisoners. Activists confirm that government forces have withdrawn from the city.
Government forces have withdrawn from the city, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights Rami Abdel-Rahman told dpa. Syrian military circles said the forces were repositioning themselves around the city of Homs. Syria’s third largest city is located between Aleppo in the north and the capital Damascus in the south.
Assad could be overthrown within days
It is also located in a strategically important position between the coastal strongholds of President Bashar al-Assad’s government and Damascus. This will make it increasingly difficult for Assad to turn the page again.
The lightning advance of the rebels in Syria suggests that Assad’s Syrian government could fall within a week. Government circles from the US and other Western countries told Reuters on Saturday evening.
Concerns about the use of chemical weapons
According to human rights organizations, Assad’s government has used chemical weapons against its own population several times in the civil war that has lasted since 2011. However, Assad did not fulfill the promise he made under international pressure to destroy his arsenal.
Given the rapid progress of the rebel offensive in recent days, there is growing international concern that chemical weapons could fall into the hands of terrorists.
The leading rebel group in the offensive against the Syrian government has now announced that it will rule out the use of chemical weapons. The aim was to assure the international community that the Syrian government’s arsenal of chemical weapons would be handled responsibly, according to a statement from the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS). However, it is unclear whether the Islamists’ promises can be trusted.
Political solution required
Five Arab countries, Iran, Turkey and Russia wrote in a joint statement that a political solution was needed to end military operations in Syria and protect the civilian population.
The crisis poses a threat to regional and international security, said the statement released by the countries’ foreign ministers after a meeting in Doha. In addition to Iran, Turkey and Russia, the signatories also include Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
