The Daily Star Ireland
Syrian rebels were preparing to continue their rapid advance after reaching the outskirts of Homs, with government forces struggling to reinforce their weakening frontlines and protect President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule.
Following the rebels’ successful entry into Aleppo a week ago, government defenses across the country have quickly collapsed as insurgents captured several major cities and launched uprisings in areas that had previously seemed secure.
In addition to taking Aleppo in the north, the rebels have seized Hama in the center and Deir al-Zor in the east, while also rising up in the southern cities of Suweida and Deraa, claiming control and posting celebratory videos from these locations.
Syria’s military responded with airstrikes around Hama and Homs, while reinforcing its positions in these areas. They also repositioned around Deraa and Suweida, but did not acknowledge the rebels’ control of these cities.
The speed of these developments has taken Arab capitals and Western officials by surprise, raising concerns about further regional instability. Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011 as an uprising against Assad, has drawn in major foreign powers, fueled global jihadist activity, and caused millions of refugees to flee to neighboring countries.
Western officials believe the Syrian military is in a difficult position, struggling to stop the rebel advances and being forced to retreat.
Assad has long depended on foreign allies to suppress the rebellion, with Russian warplanes providing air support and Iran sending fighters, including Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iraqi militias, to strengthen the Syrian military and retake insurgent-held areas.
However, Russia has focused on the war in Ukraine since 2022, and Hezbollah’s leadership has been severely weakened by its ongoing conflict with Israel. Russia has advised its citizens to leave Syria, and Iran has evacuated the families of its diplomats.
Hezbollah sent some forces to Homs on Friday but avoided significant deployments due to the risk of Israeli airstrikes. Israel targeted two Lebanon-Syria border crossings on Friday. Meanwhile, Iraqi militias, backed by Iran, remain on high alert, with thousands of fighters near the border but yet to be deployed.
Iran, Russia, and Turkey, a key backer of the rebels, are set to meet on Saturday to discuss the situation in Syria. Qatar’s Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, criticized Assad for failing to reconcile with his people and warned that the civil war threatens Syria’s territorial integrity.
The battle for Homs is crucial. The rebels reported being at the city’s walls after capturing the last village on the northern outskirts, just a day after taking Hama following a brief battle. Inside Homs, residents said the atmosphere was tense, with airstrikes and gunfire heard throughout the city as pro-Assad militias set up checkpoints to control the population.
If the rebels take Homs, a key crossroads between the capital, Damascus, and the Mediterranean coast, it would sever Damascus from Assad’s Alawite sect’s stronghold and his Russian allies’ naval and air bases in the region.
Rebels around Homs faced heavy bombardment overnight, with the military and its allies digging in to defend the city. A coalition of rebel factions, including the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), made a final call to Assad’s forces in Homs to defect.
Ahead of the rebel push, thousands of people fled Homs towards the government strongholds of Latakia and Tartus along the coast.
Homs is considered a key battleground, with experts suggesting that if it falls, it would cut off the vital highway connecting Damascus to the coast, threatening Assad’s ability to make a stand. Some believe that the Syrian army will not fight fiercely for Homs, as loyalty to Assad’s regime is weakening among the troops.
The fall of Deraa and Suweida in the south could open the way for a full-scale assault on Damascus, the heart of Assad’s power. Rebel sources said the military had agreed to withdraw from Deraa in an arrangement that would allow army officials to safely travel to the capital.
Deraa, once home to more than 100,000 people, holds symbolic importance as the birthplace of the uprising. It is the capital of a province with around 1 million people and borders Jordan.
In the east, a U.S.-backed alliance led by Syrian Kurdish fighters captured Deir el-Zor, the government’s main foothold in the desert region, further isolating Assad from his Iraqi allies.
