Rebels advance towards Homs, encircle Damascus amid Syrian Government's struggle to retain control

Amidst escalation of the Syrian conflict, insurgents on Saturday, December 7 claimed to have entered the suburbs of Homs, a strategically critical city, following a swift week-long offensive. The advance signals mounting pressure on President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, now in its 24th year, as government forces struggle to maintain control across the country.  

Rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani, representing the Islamist-led alliance spearheading the offensive, stated that their forces had initiated the "final phase" of encircling the capital, Damascus. "Our forces are closing in on all fronts around Damascus," Ghani declared.  

The Syrian defence ministry, however, denied the rebels’ claims, asserting that military personnel remained firmly positioned around the capital. “There is no truth to reports suggesting a withdrawal of our forces from the Damascus countryside,” the ministry said in a statement, as quoted by AFP.  

Amidst these developments, President Assad’s office also dismissed rumors of his departure from the country. Describing them as "false news," the office affirmed that Assad continues to discharge his duties from Damascus, according to the BBC.  

Fierce clashes erupted late Friday around northern Homs as government forces launched reinforcements and conducted heavy airstrikes to repel the insurgents. By Saturday, however, rebels reportedly breached defences from the north and east, according to sources cited by Reuters.  

The rebel advance forms part of a broader collapse of government control across Syria. Within a week, insurgents have captured major cities, including Aleppo in the north, Hama in central Syria, and Deir al-Zor in the east. The southern provinces of Quneitra, Deraa, and Suweida have also fallen into rebel hands, with reports indicating that insurgents advanced to within 30 kilometers (20 miles) of Damascus after seizing almost the entire southwest in just 24 hours.  

The symbolic resistance of local civilians has added to the atmosphere of unrest. Protesters in a Damascus suburb reportedly dismantled a statue of Assad's father in defiance of the regime, with video footage of the act circulating widely, according to Reuters.  

Despite their rapid territorial gains, the Islamist rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a former Al-Qaeda affiliate, stated its commitment to protecting government, international, and UN offices in Syria.  

As the rebels solidify their positions, the prospect of renewed unrest in the capital looms, signaling a critical juncture in Syria’s protracted civil war.