Syrian Rebels Push Into Damascus As Gunfire Erupts

Syrian opposition forces entered Damascus early Sunday as residents reported gunfire and explosions throughout the capital, according to The Associated Press.

The government evacuated Damascus airport and halted all flights, according to pro-government radio station Sham FM. The rebels advanced into Damascus after capturing Homs, Syria’s third-largest city.

Large celebrations erupted in Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli after rebels announced the “total liberation” of Homs, according to Reuters Iraq bureau chief Timour Azhari. Opposition forces also breached the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of Damascus, claiming they had “liberated our prisoners.”

The loss of Homs represents a potentially crippling blow for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government. The city stands at a crucial intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus — the Syrian leader’s strongholds and home to a Russian naval base.

U.S. officials increasingly acknowledge the possible fall of the Assad regime within days, calling it “an increasingly plausible scenario,” CNN reported, citing five U.S. officials. “The Assad regime will have lost any semblance of power” by that time, one official said, while another noted that “only thing that would delay a rebel conquest would be a well-organized coup and reorganization.”

AP reports the government now controls only three of Syria’s 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. The advances mark the largest territorial gains in recent years by opposition factions, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has origins in al-Qaida and is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and United Nations.

Thousands of Damascus residents are fleeing toward Lebanon amid widespread shortages. Many shops have closed, while others are selling basic goods at triple their normal price. The United Nations has begun evacuating non-essential staff from the country.

In Deraa, militants celebrated their victory by toppling a statue of former Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, marking the fourth city captured by rebels in a week. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported insurgents have entered the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana, and Daraya, with forces advancing toward Harasta.

The shock offensive began November 27, when opposition forces captured Aleppo, Syria’s largest city, followed by the central city of Hama. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani called the victory a “historic moment” and urged his fighters not to harm “those who drop their arms,” the BBC reported.

President-elect Donald Trump weighed in on the crisis Saturday through a lengthy Truth Social post. “Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad,” Trump wrote.

He argued that Russia’s involvement in Ukraine, which he claimed has cost them over 600,000 soldiers, has left them “incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria.” Trump called for U.S. non-intervention, stating “THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT.”

The Biden administration separately indicated it has no intention of intervening. An Iraqi official previously told Newsweek the country has no plans to send troops into Syria, saying “Iraq is working hard to find a balanced political solution to the recent repercussions.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said his Iranian and Turkish counterparts would call for “dialogue between the government and legitimate opposition.”

Qatar’s top diplomat criticized Assad for failing to take advantage of recent lulls in fighting, stating “Assad didn’t seize this opportunity to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people.”

This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.