{"id":134630,"date":"2024-12-08T06:53:52","date_gmt":"2024-12-07T23:53:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=134630"},"modified":"2024-12-08T06:53:52","modified_gmt":"2024-12-07T23:53:52","slug":"syrian-rebels-claim-control-of-key-city-of-homs-opening-path-to-damascus-middle-east-and-north-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=134630","title":{"rendered":"Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus | Middle East and north Africa"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"liveblog-body\"><gu-island name=\"EnhancePinnedPost\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{}\"\/><\/p>\n<div id=\"pinned-post\" data-gu-marker=\"pinned-post\" data-component=\"pinned-post\" class=\"dcr-r5tmyr\"><input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"pinned-post-checkbox\" name=\"pinned-post-checkbox\" tabindex=\"-1\" class=\"dcr-11n52fl\"\/><\/p>\n<div id=\"collapsible-body\" class=\"dcr-1axsptg\">\n<article class=\"block dcr-1xlsn8h\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul-Ghani says insurgent forces have &#8216;fully liberated&#8217; Syria\u2019s central city of Homs, Reuters confirms<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">Faisal Ali<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Al Jazeera Mubasher<\/strong> has been broadcasting live footage early Sunday of crowds gathered in the city centre of Homs near the historic clock tower celebrating the city\u2019s capture by rebel forces.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"199f699e-08a9-40f9-8d20-8e48bc33907f\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\">\n<div id=\"\" class=\"dcr-1t8m8f2\"><picture class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=700&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 660px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 660px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=700&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 660px)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 320px) and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), (min-width: 320px) and (min-resolution: 120dpi)\"\/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" media=\"(min-width: 320px)\"\/><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"People are gathered in the centre of Homs celebrating its capture by HTS. \" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=465&amp;dpr=1&amp;s=none&amp;crop=none\" width=\"465\" height=\"258.33333333333337\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"dcr-evn1e9\"\/><\/picture><\/div><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">People gather in the centre of Homs celebrating its capture by HTS.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754caec8f08065f386f32cd&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754caec8f08065f386f32cd#block-6754caec8f08065f386f32cd\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T22:50:11.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 05:50 PM Eastern Standard Time\">17.50 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<p><label for=\"pinned-post-checkbox\" id=\"pinned-post-button\" class=\"dcr-zw7tgl\"><span id=\"svgminus\" class=\"dcr-yhdhkr\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M1 10.75v2.5h22v-2.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span id=\"svgplus\" class=\"dcr-yhdhkr\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"m10.8 13.2.425 9.8h1.525l.45-9.8 9.8-.45v-1.525l-9.8-.425-.45-9.8h-1.525l-.425 9.8-9.8.425v1.525z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/label><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-90inr0\"><gu-island name=\"KeyEventsCarousel\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;keyEvents&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754d1d98f0896ed0c237103&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;It is approaching 1am in Beirut, Tel Aviv and &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/gaza\\&quot;&gt;Gaza&lt;\/a&gt; City, and 2am in Damascus.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b4ff1990-a093-4185-8ca3-c903bc0c253e&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;ul&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;Syrian rebel commander &lt;strong&gt;Hassan &lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abdul-Ghani&lt;\/strong&gt; said early on Sunday that insurgent forces had \u201cfully liberated\u201d Syria\u2019s central city of Homs, Reuters confirms. Homs is a city of strategic and hugely symbolic importance to the militants and to the opposition as a whole.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;Syrian opposition forces have begun to encircle the capital city of Damascus after a lightning offensive brought rebel factions to &lt;strong&gt;Bashar al-Assad&lt;\/strong&gt;\u2019s doorstep and led the president\u2019s office to deny he had fled the country.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;Government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs, according to a Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;Speaking in Doha, the UN special envoy for &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\\&quot;&gt;Syria&lt;\/a&gt;, &lt;strong&gt;Geir Pedersen&lt;\/strong&gt;, said he had secured the joint agreement from the foreign ministers of Turkey, Iran and Russia to hold urgent talks in Geneva with a date to be agreed upon shortly.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;Protesters brought down the statue of the late father of the Syrian president, &lt;strong&gt;Bashar al-Assad&lt;\/strong&gt;, in a main square in Jaramana suburb, nearly 10km from the centre of Damascus.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;The UN in Syria denied rumours that it was evacuating all staff from the country, but confirmed that it is \u201cstrategically reducing its footprint by relocating non-critical staff outside the country\u201d.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;At least 30 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday, according to local health officials.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n &lt;li&gt;\\n  &lt;p&gt;Lebanon\u2019s health ministry said on Saturday that Israeli airstrikes had killed six people in the country\u2019s south, just 10 days into a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.&lt;\/p&gt;&lt;\/li&gt;\\n&lt;\/ul&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;12bca273-e0a9-424a-924e-787f7e1b2c93&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733611993000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;17.53\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733614540000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;18.35\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733612132000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;17.55\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;17.55&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Summary of the day&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754caec8f08065f386f32cd&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Al Jazeera Mubasher&lt;\/strong&gt; has been broadcasting live footage early Sunday of crowds gathered in the city centre of Homs near the historic clock tower celebrating the city\u2019s capture by rebel forces.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;56cd86ea-6f28-426d-a8fb-d8b500397151&quot;},{&quot;displayCredit&quot;:false,&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;,&quot;media&quot;:{&quot;allImages&quot;:[{&quot;index&quot;:0,&quot;fields&quot;:{&quot;height&quot;:&quot;1080&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;1944&quot;},&quot;mediaType&quot;:&quot;Image&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/1944.jpg&quot;},{&quot;index&quot;:1,&quot;fields&quot;:{&quot;isMaster&quot;:&quot;true&quot;,&quot;height&quot;:&quot;1080&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;1944&quot;},&quot;mediaType&quot;:&quot;Image&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg&quot;},{&quot;index&quot;:2,&quot;fields&quot;:{&quot;height&quot;:&quot;556&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;1000&quot;},&quot;mediaType&quot;:&quot;Image&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/1000.jpg&quot;},{&quot;index&quot;:3,&quot;fields&quot;:{&quot;height&quot;:&quot;278&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;500&quot;},&quot;mediaType&quot;:&quot;Image&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/500.jpg&quot;},{&quot;index&quot;:4,&quot;fields&quot;:{&quot;height&quot;:&quot;78&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:&quot;140&quot;},&quot;mediaType&quot;:&quot;Image&quot;,&quot;mimeType&quot;:&quot;image\/jpeg&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/media.guim.co.uk\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/140.jpg&quot;}]},&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;edf8ce48-b075-46ff-84cb-886054a0a71d&quot;,&quot;imageSources&quot;:[{&quot;weighting&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;,&quot;srcSet&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=363813f484938da4660bb3a2575b1a85&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:620},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=3c0b60d30bc024286a4c51e08c77ed9c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1240},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=6051613182ba897a1529ebffd32b7308&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:605},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=f2c85d5e3a93b79318030401b249642c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1210},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=326c187dad2f78d5affbcf455ad0276c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:445},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=7b4983fb028280e5ed71f4164ac8c1d6&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:890}]},{&quot;weighting&quot;:&quot;thumbnail&quot;,&quot;srcSet&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=140&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=761b206c8304636c918ab59c6283d9d2&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:140},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=140&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=19706ba8004fd842cd20c604888a80ff&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:280},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=120&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=ece03cef654b12c3615e39e0aa1eaf13&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:120},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=120&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=c072a0d7f857f4991e37c17731cecf05&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:240}]},{&quot;weighting&quot;:&quot;supporting&quot;,&quot;srcSet&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=380&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=dfb9fa2d297009516d48d1dea463e9aa&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:380},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=380&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=8fb242ffcd98dcb48c869c58cc7affa0&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:760},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=953e8cf35edd68333a86dc41c43688e0&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:300},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=dda513aa195749aa9343e624f65cf0a2&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:600},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=363813f484938da4660bb3a2575b1a85&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:620},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=3c0b60d30bc024286a4c51e08c77ed9c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1240},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=6051613182ba897a1529ebffd32b7308&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:605},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=f2c85d5e3a93b79318030401b249642c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1210},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=326c187dad2f78d5affbcf455ad0276c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:445},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=7b4983fb028280e5ed71f4164ac8c1d6&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:890}]},{&quot;weighting&quot;:&quot;showcase&quot;,&quot;srcSet&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=860&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=90de28c9556fe54701dbb5bab89ce956&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:860},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=860&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=5df0b793cc39916e91b490eb16ec4f52&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1720},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=780&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=521554bfd365af3c141700f081d1b461&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:780},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=780&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=80a6d913cd6d4f9700dad4381d000d1b&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1560},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=363813f484938da4660bb3a2575b1a85&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:620},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=3c0b60d30bc024286a4c51e08c77ed9c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1240},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=6051613182ba897a1529ebffd32b7308&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:605},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=f2c85d5e3a93b79318030401b249642c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1210},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=326c187dad2f78d5affbcf455ad0276c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:445},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=7b4983fb028280e5ed71f4164ac8c1d6&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:890}]},{&quot;weighting&quot;:&quot;halfwidth&quot;,&quot;srcSet&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=363813f484938da4660bb3a2575b1a85&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:620},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=620&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=3c0b60d30bc024286a4c51e08c77ed9c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1240},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=6051613182ba897a1529ebffd32b7308&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:605},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=605&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=f2c85d5e3a93b79318030401b249642c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1210},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=326c187dad2f78d5affbcf455ad0276c&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:445},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=445&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=7b4983fb028280e5ed71f4164ac8c1d6&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:890}]},{&quot;weighting&quot;:&quot;immersive&quot;,&quot;srcSet&quot;:[{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=1900&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=bd9e5a3f306cc1670cef24a97ec77ffb&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1900},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=1900&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=1997a11b120cca413582268fadd1a37f&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:3800},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=1300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=e7985f550e28bfca94d4b31e3ad1c21e&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1300},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=1300&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=a8d9d00ee9382852623b5adbb8737af1&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:2600},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=1140&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=55c86a7707b8a18a328e0be077633cf5&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1140},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=1140&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=ababb641e2ae10ca8324593c42eb2d8b&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:2280},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=980&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=73121a7fc501a42ef6af6bfde5397441&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:980},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=980&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=932100d273a787b7a44ec969dfbdb337&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1960},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=740&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=81972bebd735b13e431fd4b91c3c1054&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:740},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=740&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=9e8c4d30dcc8f1a4a6eeda223795538a&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1480},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=660&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=167f494888bd7b01169ab1eb18dbb64f&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:660},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=660&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=28604a6bf765f384a845a41640a2aacb&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:1320},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=480&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=445c01024cdc2dfd3c74c891bd405bad&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:480},{&quot;src&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/media\/c4b7158b79f3b6a425b610ce143f5f617dde4c9b\/0_0_1944_1080\/master\/1944.jpg?width=480&amp;quality=45&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;dpr=2&amp;s=b7434d6bf817b6795eb10c40a78e6efd&quot;,&quot;width&quot;:960}]}],&quot;data&quot;:{&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;People are gathered in the centre of Homs celebrating its capture by HTS. &quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;People gather in the centre of Homs celebrating its capture by HTS.&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Photograph: Al Jazeera Mubasher&quot;}}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:true,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733610220000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;17.23\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733611811000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;17.50\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733611441000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;17.44\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;17.44&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul-Ghani says insurgent forces have 'fully liberated' Syria\u2019s central city of Homs, Reuters confirms&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Faisal Ali&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754c43b8f0896ed0c2370c9&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;An insurgent commander &lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;said that forces spearheaded by Hay\u2019at Tahrir &lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;al-Sham are combing Homs after forces loyal to Damascus have fled.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;db47f4b5-14f1-4043-9a82-92102646a7c2&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cAn incursion into the neighbourhoods of the city is now underway and we are combing it in preparation for declaring it completely liberated,\u201d said &lt;strong&gt;Lt&lt;\/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Col Hassan &lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Abdul&lt;\/strong&gt;-&lt;strong&gt;Ghani&lt;\/strong&gt; in a statement.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;0b7d5837-87a7-4b5b-924f-de5a1d6e768b&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Homs is a city of strategic and hugely symbolic importance to the militants and to the opposition as a whole. The city is a key juncture on the highway that leads to the capital Damascus, connecting it with coastal regions traditionally loyal to Assad.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;ee7f875a-6475-4455-be10-b8e1d5f12012&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;It also saw some of the fiercest fighting in the early years of Syria\u2019s civil war, when rebels battled to seize neighbourhoods from president &lt;strong&gt;Bashar al-Assad\u2019s&lt;\/strong&gt; control.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;1b3a6176-6914-4bd4-ba3b-36cee5c34e44&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The loss of Homs would mean that Syria\u2019s major provincial capitals would no longer be controlled by Assad\u2019s regime in Damascus, fundamentally altering his grip on the country his family has ruled for decades.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;cf45bd29-b821-451f-8976-ee4c091e3bd6&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733608507000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.55\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733611626000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;17.47\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733608789000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.59\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;16.59&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Rebel leader says insurgents combing Homs after government army flees&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Ruth Michaelson&quot;,&quot;imageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2022\/02\/24\/Ruth_Michaelson.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=02c72fc8bf5dab4706b2cc8ed212f8a5&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754c1598f08065f386f3296&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;AP has a quick snap that government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs, according to a Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;c2135a6f-a31d-4205-aa5c-5f98cfb90dcb&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;More details soon \u2026&lt;\/em&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;7b5239b3-f101-4080-8927-d7dd45372a64&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733607769000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.42\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733608156000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.49\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733607859000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.44\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;16.44&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Government forces withdraw from much of central city of Homs&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754b8ac8f0896ed0c237094&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Syrian opposition media reports that Syrian government forces have withdrawn from Homs city and fighters from Hay\u2019at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have entered the city proper.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;5b7d9a5d-32c3-49a3-a112-2066623b01c7&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Videos showed members of state security branches fleeing their posts in Homs before the rebel advance. Syrian state media did not acknowledge the loss of the city, but said that HTS fighters had entered the city\u2019s suburbs and outlying villages.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;5f3293b5-c298-4e8f-8a8b-586e4d05522d&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;If Homs were to fall to rebels, Damascus would be cut off from Tartous and Latakia \u2013 coastal provinces where Bashar al-Assad has historically enjoyed strong support. Rebel forces would then be approaching the country\u2019s capital city from the north from Homs, from the south from Daraa and Suwayda province and from the east from the ancient city of Palmyra.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;4dd49b13-863b-42cc-b6b6-0db05ce2b1a2&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733605548000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.05\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733607634000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.40\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733606143000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;16.15\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;16.15&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Rebel fighters claim to have entered key city of Homs - report&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;William Christou&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754ae568f08065f386f3234&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Residents of al-Rukban camp rejoiced on Saturday night, after the Syrian army soldiers which had enforced a more than six-year-long siege on the camp abandoned their positions and fled.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;47b4fbe1-550d-406e-8f96-8de956e0db33&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Al-Rukban, a camp formed in 2014 in the arid no man\u2019s land between Syria and Jordan, houses about 10,000 refugees who fled the Syrian government\u2019s crackdown on protesters during the country\u2019s revolution. In 2018, the Syrian army and the Jordanian government imposed a siege on the camp, forcing residents to survive on meager amounts of food brought in periodically by a few smugglers.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;10cf9be7-2d60-4860-94ec-5d6ec7e836d7&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cI cannot describe the feelings, the words don\u2019t exist. I will be able to return to my village after 14 years,\u201d said Yasser, a resident of the camp originally from a village outside Homs in central Syria speaking under a pseudonym in case government forces returned. Yasser had read a few hours earlier that the Syrian army had been driven out of his home town by rebels led by the Islamist group &lt;strong&gt;Hayat Tahrir al-Sham&lt;\/strong&gt; (HTS) as part of its attempt to take Homs city.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;e33040b8-be1a-4819-a4ff-14e5ddb97024&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Pictures sent to the guardian showed Syrian army vehicles, tanks and artillery abandoned where soldiers had fled or had been killed by members of the Free Syrian Army. The Free Syrian Army had patrolled the 55-kilometer demilitarized zone around the camp, supervised by US forces as part of its global coalition to defeat the Islamic State.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;6ff7293a-bed3-4435-a699-8b4eb07bccc7&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;On Saturday, the Free Syrian Army had broken out of the demilitarized zone, killing the remaining Syrian army soldiers and capturing the ancient city of Palmyra.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b470ae7e-28ee-4e13-8d13-88010e76d20d&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Leaving al-Rukban had been a dream for Yasser and for the other camp residents. Living conditions in the camp had deteriorated in recent years, with food and medical supplies scarce. Syrian soldiers had tightened their siege on the camp, preventing smugglers from reaching the camp. During the last survey of a UN clinic before it closed down in 2020, almost 100% of children under five who went to the clinic were malnourished.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;b6b51a03-2ceb-4f5f-8f0e-a32fdfe83e76&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Still, camp residents had to wait before they could return home. The area around the demilitarized zone had been heavily mined, and would take some time to clear.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;56527544-6733-44c8-9a21-ab4dce6d5fda&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cWe have to wait around 20 days. I will be counting every second,\u201d Yasser said.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;71f1c488-9e50-48e5-b371-226ef454646c&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733602902000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;15.21\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733603419000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;15.30\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733603210000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;15.26\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;15.26&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Residents of isolated Syrian refugee camp liberated after more than 10 years&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;William Christou&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;675492458f0896ed0c236fcf&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The UN in &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\\&quot; data-component=\\&quot;auto-linked-tag\\&quot;&gt;Syria&lt;\/a&gt; denied rumours that it is evacuating all staff from the country, but confirmed that it is \u201cstrategically reducing its footprint by relocating non-critical staff outside the country\u201d, as insurgents get closer to the centre of Damascus.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;af8a8980-9a60-45e2-8e9f-38021590edcd&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The UN\u2019s resident and humanitarian coordinator for Syria, &lt;strong&gt;Adam Abdelmoula&lt;\/strong&gt;, released the following statement:&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;c0dde84c-d7c4-45ba-a4aa-63c77c1232b9&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.BlockquoteBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;blockquote class=\\&quot;quoted\\&quot;&gt;\\n &lt;p&gt;Recent rumors suggesting that the United Nations is evacuating all staff from Syria are false. The United Nations remains steadfast in its commitment to stay and deliver life-saving assistance to the people of Syria during this critical time.&lt;\/p&gt;\\n &lt;p&gt;To ensure the safety of our personnel while maintaining essential operations, the UN is strategically reducing its footprint by relocating non-critical staff outside the country. This is a precautionary measure to protect our teams amid evolving circumstances. Let me emphasize \u2013 this is not an evacuation and our dedication to supporting the people of Syria remains unwavering.&lt;\/p&gt;\\n &lt;p&gt;The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate. Hostilities have displaced over 370,000 individuals, with many seeking refuge in the northeast and others trapped in front-line areas, unable to escape. Civilian casualties, including women and children, continue to rise, underscoring the urgent need for coordinated humanitarian action.&lt;\/p&gt;\\n&lt;\/blockquote&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a7f3b7bc-b1d5-4795-8e4f-b4a5562dca25&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733595717000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;13.21\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733597678000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;13.54\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733596284000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;13.31\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;13.31&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UN in Syria denies rumours it is evacuating all staff from country&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[{&quot;name&quot;:&quot;Ruth Michaelson&quot;,&quot;imageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2022\/02\/24\/Ruth_Michaelson.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=02c72fc8bf5dab4706b2cc8ed212f8a5&quot;}],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754836d8f08d291b219a9d8&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Syria\u2019s interior minister told state TV that security forces had imposed an impenetrable cordon around Damascus on Saturday, as fighters opposing the government said they were nearing the capital, Agence France-Presse reports.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;f89b844f-3da4-4512-9650-9b64a5d3b9be&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cThere is a very strong security and military cordon on the far edges of Damascus and its countryside, and no one ... can penetrate this defensive line that we, the armed forces, are building,\u201d Mohammed al-Rahmoun told state TV from Damascus.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;8b8440c7-fb43-499e-a765-bd7bdd0ffb78&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733591917000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;12.18\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733597705000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;13.55\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733592653000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;12.30\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;12.30&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Syria minister says \u2018very strong\u2019 security cordon around Damascus \u2013 state TV&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;675480cd8f08d291b219a9c5&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;At least 30 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday, according to local health officials.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;cda53ebc-8748-4bfb-9b86-eb45ee125aed&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Qatar&lt;\/strong&gt; expressed hope for renewed efforts toward a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a1f726ca-a677-46cc-9875-4e769af3ea70&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Palestinian health officials, which does not distinguish between civilians and militants in its daily death tolls, said that dozens more people were injured across the enclave.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;d64871a6-cf75-406e-94cf-ecfd609af15a&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733591245000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;12.07\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733597723000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;13.55\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733591710000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;12.15\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;12.15&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;At least 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;67547e1b8f08065f386f30e4&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;A &lt;strong&gt;Homs&lt;\/strong&gt; resident as well as army and rebel sources told the news agency that the insurgents had breached government defenses from the north and east of the city.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;17cd10c6-2e7b-432b-83a4-3c87650b6548&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;A rebel commander said they had taken control of an army camp and villages outside the city.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;c739bcbc-2bef-4ea5-b486-54d42fc2f33f&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Syrian military&lt;\/strong&gt;, which had sent large numbers of reinforcements to defend the key central city of Homs, did not immediately respond to Reuters\u2019 request for comments on the reports.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;46843690-a3b8-49fe-83af-57eb1ab25c07&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Insurgents have seized almost the entire south-west within 24 hours, and have advanced to within 30km (20 miles) of &lt;strong&gt;Damascus&lt;\/strong&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;f7631ee0-5c8b-4db0-94d5-464b90e1fa32&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733590555000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.55\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733592563000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;12.29\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733590804000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;12.00\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;12.00&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels enter suburbs of Homs, according to Reuters&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;675478928f08065f386f309b&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The &lt;strong&gt;Israeli military&lt;\/strong&gt; said it is helping &lt;strong&gt;United Nations&lt;\/strong&gt; forces to head off an attack on a UN position in &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\\&quot; data-component=\\&quot;auto-linked-tag\\&quot;&gt;Syria&lt;\/a&gt; close to the Israeli border, the Associated Press is reporting.&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;\\n The army said in a statement on Saturday that an attack was carried out by \u201carmed individuals\u201d on a UN post near the &lt;strong&gt;Syrian&lt;\/strong&gt; town of Hader and it was \u201cassisting UN forces in repelling the attack\u201d.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;45466c8b-4104-404d-80ec-ef61e195c73f&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733589138000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.32\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733589347000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.35\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733589218000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.33\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;11.33&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Israel\u2019s military assists UN forces against attack in Syria&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754740c8f08065f386f306f&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;The video released on Saturday shows a man who introduces himself as the 24-year-old &lt;strong&gt;Matan Zangauker&lt;\/strong&gt;. He can be seen pleading with the Israeli leaders to make a deal that would bring captives being held by &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/hamas\\&quot;&gt;Hamas&lt;\/a&gt; in Gaza back to Israel.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;82a7a608-14c5-4cd9-9b06-caddfd18969b&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Nearly 100 hostages, both dead and alive, are believed to be held by Hamas in &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/gaza\\&quot;&gt;Gaza&lt;\/a&gt; since the 7 October 2023 raid by the group.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a7b56bf5-aa23-4cae-8fd0-80ca7022c548&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;After &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/israel\\&quot;&gt;Israel&lt;\/a&gt; signed a landmark ceasefire deal with Hezbollah in Lebanon last month, mediating countries see increased momentum for a possible deal that could allow the hostages to be released in exchange for scores of Palestinian prisoners.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;70fdef41-c558-4f4d-b0a0-07d93452a619&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733587980000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.13\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733588045000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.14\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733588045000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.14\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;11.14&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Hamas released a video claiming to show Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker in captivity.&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;6754698f8f0896ed0c236e3c&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday the &lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;US should not be involved in the conflict in &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\\&quot; data-component=\\&quot;auto-linked-tag\\&quot;&gt;Syria&lt;\/a&gt;, where rebel forces are threatening the government of president Bashar al-Assad.&lt;\/strong&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;896fc31c-fe68-48db-b8bb-102e0aac2822&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;\u201cSyria is a mess, but is not our friend, &amp; THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!\u201d Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;ac3d44f5-9a1c-410d-8def-e8cfc5830565&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733585295000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.28\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733597238000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;13.47\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733585781000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.36\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;10.36&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Trump says the US should have nothing to do with the conflict in Syria&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;675467a28f08d291b219a8bb&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Syria\u2019s president, Bashar al-Assad, remains in Damascus and is carrying out his work from the capital, the Syrian state news agency said on Saturday.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;30b2ef78-c683-4689-9ca0-c554938c67ad&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Anti-government protesters toppled a statue of Assad\u2019s late father, Hafez, in the mostly Druze and Christian Damascus suburb of Jaramana earlier on Saturday, witnesses told Agence France-Presse.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;6244886b-6045-4225-adb4-a6615d761ee9&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;A witness said he he had seen dozens of protesters tearing down the statue in a main square in Jaramana, which bears the former president\u2019s name. Another witness said the statue had been broken up when he went to the square later. Video footage circulating online and verified by AFP showed young men toppling the statue and chanting anti-Assad slogans.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;ffedc925-da27-48ce-9108-ef2137125d12&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733584802000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.20\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733584818000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.20\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733584818000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.20\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;10.20&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Bashar al-Assad remains in Damascus - state news agency&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;675464c88f0896ed0c236e1b&quot;,&quot;elements&quot;:[{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Syrian insurgents have reached the suburbs of Damascus, opposition activists and a rebel commander said on Saturday, as a rapidly moving offensive in which &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/viewer.gutools.co.uk\/world\/2024\/dec\/06\/syrian-insurgents-homs-advance-towards-damascus-continues\\&quot;&gt;they have taken over some of Syria\u2019s largest cities&lt;\/a&gt; continued.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a6750bd3-77e3-4643-b785-a8b0f7a6f1a5&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said insurgents were active in the Damascus suburbs of Maadamiyah, Jaramana and Daraya.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;4ddd5189-48b0-404e-b3da-1eb0d8f02b4a&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;He said opposition fighters were also marching from eastern &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/viewer.gutools.co.uk\/world\/syria\\&quot;&gt;Syria&lt;\/a&gt; towards the Damascus suburb of Harasta.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;a0272806-3556-4661-947c-124688a05d63&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;Hassan Abdul-Ghani, an insurgent commander, posted on Telegram that opposition forces had started to encircle Damascus in the \u201cfinal stage\u201d of their offensive. He said fighters were heading from southern Syria towards Damascus.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;6ca9e9c2-97d0-4e27-b662-b819ce49e779&quot;},{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.TextBlockElement&quot;,&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;p&gt;We will bring you live updates on this developing story.&lt;\/p&gt;&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;21b38308-a7a2-457e-8dcc-8a7727cea3b0&quot;}],&quot;attributes&quot;:{&quot;pinned&quot;:false,&quot;keyEvent&quot;:true,&quot;summary&quot;:false},&quot;blockCreatedOn&quot;:1733584459000,&quot;blockCreatedOnDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.14\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockLastUpdated&quot;:1733590122000,&quot;blockLastUpdatedDisplay&quot;:&quot;11.48\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublished&quot;:1733584459000,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplay&quot;:&quot;10.14\u00a0EST&quot;,&quot;blockFirstPublishedDisplayNoTimezone&quot;:&quot;10.14&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels reach Damascus suburbs - rebel commander&quot;,&quot;contributors&quot;:[],&quot;primaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;Sat 7 Dec 2024 18.35 EST&quot;,&quot;secondaryDateLine&quot;:&quot;First published on Sat 7 Dec 2024 10.14 EST&quot;}],&quot;filterKeyEvents&quot;:false,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;key-events-carousel-mobile&quot;,&quot;absoluteServerTimes&quot;:false,&quot;renderingTarget&quot;:&quot;Web&quot;}\"><span id=\"key-events-carousel-mobile\"\/><span class=\"dcr-90inr0\"><\/p>\n<p>Key events<\/p>\n<p><\/span><\/gu-island><gu-island name=\"FilterKeyEventsToggle\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;filterKeyEvents&quot;:false,&quot;id&quot;:&quot;filter-toggle-mobile&quot;}\"><span id=\"filter-toggle-mobile\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"dcr-alru3r\"><label id=\"src-component-29313_description\" data-component=\"filter-key-events\" data-link-name=\"filter-key-events-on\" class=\"dcr-rrspei\"><button id=\"src-component-29313\" role=\"switch\" aria-checked=\"false\" aria-labelledby=\"src-component-29313_description\" class=\"dcr-xdx6ie\"\/>Show key events only<\/p>\n<p><span>Please turn on JavaScript to use this feature<\/span><\/p>\n<p><\/label><\/div>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"block-6754d7e68f08065f386f3317\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">Faisal Ali<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Elsewhere in Homs, a statue of Hafez al-Assad, the father of Syria\u2019s president Bashar al-Assad, has been torn down by a large crowd.<\/p>\n<p><gu-island name=\"InteractiveBlockComponent\" priority=\"critical\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/embed\/from-tool\/looping-video\/index.html?poster-image=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2Fstatue.jpg&amp;mp4-video=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2Fstatue.mp4&quot;,&quot;scriptUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/embed\/iframe-wrapper\/0.1\/boot.js&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;A statue of Hafez al-Assad has been torn down in Homs after rebels declared they had taken control of the city.&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;d6ba43a1-53b6-4691-9f6c-8232b6dbbb56&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;The toppling of the status.&quot;,&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false}\"><\/p>\n<figure id=\"d6ba43a1-53b6-4691-9f6c-8232b6dbbb56\" data-alt=\"A statue of Hafez al-Assad has been torn down in Homs after rebels declared they had taken control of the city.\" data-testid=\"interactive-element-A%20statue%20of%20Hafez%20al-Assad%20has%20been%20torn%20down%20in%20Homs%20after%20rebels%20declared%20they%20had%20taken%20control%20of%20the%20city.\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"element element-interactive element--inline element-inline dcr-w422y2\"><a data-name=\"placeholder\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/embed\/from-tool\/looping-video\/index.html?poster-image=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2Fstatue.jpg&amp;mp4-video=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2Fstatue.mp4\" class=\"dcr-1eupayo\">A statue of Hafez al-Assad has been torn down in Homs after rebels declared they had taken control of the city.<\/a><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">The toppling of the status.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754d7e68f08065f386f3317&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754d7e68f08065f386f3317#block-6754d7e68f08065f386f3317\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754d3808f08065f386f32f9\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">Faisal Ali<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The city of Homs has witnessed an outpouring of emotions this evening. Many are celebrating what they believe to be the imminent fall of the Assad regime, and others have begun tearing down images of the president. Here is a clip we\u2019ve looped from the centre of Homs, filmed at the Officers\u2019 Club hotel.<\/p>\n<p><gu-island name=\"InteractiveBlockComponent\" priority=\"critical\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/embed\/from-tool\/looping-video\/index.html?poster-image=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2FYYMMDDVideoTitle.00_00_00_00.Still003.jpg&amp;mp4-video=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2FJMS_Officers_club.mp4&quot;,&quot;scriptUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/embed\/iframe-wrapper\/0.1\/boot.js&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;People are seen tearing down images of Bashar al-Assad at the Officers Club in the centre of Homs.&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;83dec657-211c-4f05-8000-032db13be6f9&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;People tearing down images of Bashar al-Assad at the Officers\u2019 Club in the centre of Homs.&quot;,&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false}\"><\/p>\n<figure id=\"83dec657-211c-4f05-8000-032db13be6f9\" data-alt=\"People are seen tearing down images of Bashar al-Assad at the Officers Club in the centre of Homs.\" data-testid=\"interactive-element-People%20are%20seen%20tearing%20down%20images%20of%20Bashar%20al-Assad%20at%20the%20Officers%20Club%20in%20the%20centre%20of%20Homs.\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"element element-interactive element--inline element-inline dcr-w422y2\"><a data-name=\"placeholder\" href=\"https:\/\/interactive.guim.co.uk\/embed\/from-tool\/looping-video\/index.html?poster-image=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2FYYMMDDVideoTitle.00_00_00_00.Still003.jpg&amp;mp4-video=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2024%2F12%2F07%2FJMS_Officers_club.mp4\" class=\"dcr-1eupayo\">People are seen tearing down images of Bashar al-Assad at the Officers Club in the centre of Homs.<\/a><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">People tearing down images of Bashar al-Assad at the Officers\u2019 Club in the centre of Homs.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754d3808f08065f386f32f9&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754d3808f08065f386f32f9#block-6754d3808f08065f386f32f9\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754d1d98f0896ed0c237103\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Summary of the day<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">It is approaching 1am in Beirut, Tel Aviv and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/gaza\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Gaza<\/a> City, and 2am in Damascus.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Syrian rebel commander <strong>Hassan <\/strong><strong>Abdul-Ghani<\/strong> said early on Sunday that insurgent forces had \u201cfully liberated\u201d Syria\u2019s central city of Homs, Reuters confirms. Homs is a city of strategic and hugely symbolic importance to the militants and to the opposition as a whole.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Syrian opposition forces have begun to encircle the capital city of Damascus after a lightning offensive brought rebel factions to <strong>Bashar al-Assad<\/strong>\u2019s doorstep and led the president\u2019s office to deny he had fled the country.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs, according to a Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Speaking in Doha, the UN special envoy for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Syria<\/a>, <strong>Geir Pedersen<\/strong>, said he had secured the joint agreement from the foreign ministers of Turkey, Iran and Russia to hold urgent talks in Geneva with a date to be agreed upon shortly.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Protesters brought down the statue of the late father of the Syrian president, <strong>Bashar al-Assad<\/strong>, in a main square in Jaramana suburb, nearly 10km from the centre of Damascus.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The UN in Syria denied rumours that it was evacuating all staff from the country, but confirmed that it is \u201cstrategically reducing its footprint by relocating non-critical staff outside the country\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">At least 30 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza on Saturday, according to local health officials.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Lebanon\u2019s health ministry said on Saturday that Israeli airstrikes had killed six people in the country\u2019s south, just 10 days into a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754d1d98f0896ed0c237103&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754d1d98f0896ed0c237103#block-6754d1d98f0896ed0c237103\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T23:35:40.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 06:35 PM Eastern Standard Time\">18.35 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754caec8f08065f386f32cd\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul-Ghani says insurgent forces have &#8216;fully liberated&#8217; Syria\u2019s central city of Homs, Reuters confirms<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">Faisal Ali<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Al Jazeera Mubasher<\/strong> has been broadcasting live footage early Sunday of crowds gathered in the city centre of Homs near the historic clock tower celebrating the city\u2019s capture by rebel forces.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"c766b94e-302d-4556-9dcd-c8941aaaffc1\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">People gather in the centre of Homs celebrating its capture by HTS.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754caec8f08065f386f32cd&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754caec8f08065f386f32cd#block-6754caec8f08065f386f32cd\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T22:50:11.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 05:50 PM Eastern Standard Time\">17.50 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754c70b8f08d291b219ab5e\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">William Christou<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Syrian opposition forces have begun to encircle the capital city of Damascus after a lightning offensive brought rebel factions to Bashar al-Assad\u2019s doorstep and led the president\u2019s office to deny he had already fled the country.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The advance came just a week after Islamist insurgents led by <strong>Hay\u2019at Tahrir al-Sham<\/strong> (HTS) retook Aleppo in northern <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">Syria<\/a>, inspiring rebel factions all across the country to rise up against the Syrian army.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Overnight, opposition factions in the southern provinces of Daraa and Suwayda routed government forces and took control over wide swathes of the district. By the afternoon, opposition fighters had entered Daraya, about 5 miles from the centre of the capital. East of Damascus, members of the Free Syrian Army took control over the ancient city of Palmyra.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">As rebels advanced from the south and east towards the capital city, forces led by HTS began fighting the Syrian army in the central Syrian city of Homs. Homs is a strategic asset for the Syrian government, linking it to Tartous and Latakia \u2013 provinces where Assad has traditionally enjoyed strong support.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Syrian state media reported that government forces were concentrating on stopping HTS\u2019s advance in Homs, carrying out heavy airstrikes on rebel forces there and sending reinforcements to the central Syrian city.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">If Homs were to fall to the rebels, the government would be besieged in Damascus. Opposition forces would be advancing from the north, south and east of the country.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The government in neighbouring Iraq said that 2,000 Syrian soldiers had fled across their border. Al Jazeera showed footage of Syrian tanks and other military vehicles packed with soldiers crossing into Iraq.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><em>Read the latest developments coming from Syria here:<\/em><\/p>\n<figure id=\"f2a86cc3-4e5c-4eda-9718-615afe2c62d1\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"RichLinkComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;richLinkIndex&quot;:8,&quot;element&quot;:{&quot;_type&quot;:&quot;model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.RichLinkBlockElement&quot;,&quot;prefix&quot;:&quot;Related: &quot;,&quot;text&quot;:&quot;Syrian army withdraws from Homs as rebels encircle Damascus&quot;,&quot;elementId&quot;:&quot;f2a86cc3-4e5c-4eda-9718-615afe2c62d1&quot;,&quot;role&quot;:&quot;inline&quot;,&quot;url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-have-reached-damascus-suburbs-insurgent-commander-says&quot;},&quot;ajaxUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/api.nextgen.guardianapps.co.uk&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0}}\"\/><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754c70b8f08d291b219ab5e&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754c70b8f08d291b219ab5e#block-6754c70b8f08d291b219ab5e\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T22:38:23.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 05:38 PM Eastern Standard Time\">17.38 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754c6f78f0896ed0c2370d5\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">Faisal Ali<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Abu Mohammed al-Jolani<\/strong>, leader of HTS, the armed group spearheading the charge against the Assad regime, has urged his fighters to \u201cshow mercy\u201d and \u201cprotect those who surrender\u201d in a video message.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Jolani said his group was in the \u201cfinal moments\u201d before the capture of Homs, adding that it would be a \u201chistoric event\u201d.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">It would be the third major city HTS has captured since its fighters fanned out from Idlib at the end of November.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754c6f78f0896ed0c2370d5&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754c6f78f0896ed0c2370d5#block-6754c6f78f0896ed0c2370d5\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T22:27:04.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 05:27 PM Eastern Standard Time\">17.27 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754c43b8f0896ed0c2370c9\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Rebel leader says insurgents combing Homs after government army flees<\/h2>\n<div class=\"dcr-dzkvsd\">\n<div class=\"dcr-uae6pk\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2022\/02\/24\/Ruth_Michaelson.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=02c72fc8bf5dab4706b2cc8ed212f8a5\" alt=\"Ruth Michaelson\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-sa35sa\">Ruth Michaelson<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>An insurgent commander <\/strong><strong>said that forces spearheaded by Hay\u2019at Tahrir <\/strong><strong>al-Sham are combing Homs after forces loyal to Damascus have fled.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cAn incursion into the neighbourhoods of the city is now underway and we are combing it in preparation for declaring it completely liberated,\u201d said <strong>Lt<\/strong> <strong>Col Hassan <\/strong><strong>Abdul<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>Ghani<\/strong> in a statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Homs is a city of strategic and hugely symbolic importance to the militants and to the opposition as a whole. The city is a key juncture on the highway that leads to the capital Damascus, connecting it with coastal regions traditionally loyal to Assad.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">It also saw some of the fiercest fighting in the early years of Syria\u2019s civil war, when rebels battled to seize neighbourhoods from president <strong>Bashar al-Assad\u2019s<\/strong> control.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">The loss of Homs would mean that Syria\u2019s major provincial capitals would no longer be controlled by Assad\u2019s regime in Damascus, fundamentally altering his grip on the country his family has ruled for decades.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754c43b8f0896ed0c2370c9&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754c43b8f0896ed0c2370c9#block-6754c43b8f0896ed0c2370c9\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T22:47:06.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 05:47 PM Eastern Standard Time\">17.47 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754c1598f08065f386f3296\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Government forces withdraw from much of central city of Homs<\/h2>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">AP has a quick snap that government forces have withdrawn from much of the central city of Homs, according to a Syrian opposition war monitor and a pro-government media outlet.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><em>More details soon \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754c1598f08065f386f3296&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754c1598f08065f386f3296#block-6754c1598f08065f386f3296\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T21:49:16.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 04:49 PM Eastern Standard Time\">16.49 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754bc9f8f08065f386f3278\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Syrian rebel commander Hassan <\/strong><strong>Abdul<\/strong>&#8211;<strong>Ghani said rebel forces <\/strong><strong>had <\/strong><strong>entered the key city of Homs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Dozens of fighters from Hezbollah\u2019s elite Radwan forces fled the Syrian city of Homs, Reuters reports, after a decision was taken with the Syrian army that the city could no longer be defended.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"11f0e122-9129-47d3-b065-546998cb415b\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Rebel fighters in Homs countryside, after a lightning advance in Syria on Saturday.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754bc9f8f08065f386f3278&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754bc9f8f08065f386f3278#block-6754bc9f8f08065f386f3278\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T22:00:14.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 05:00 PM Eastern Standard Time\">17.00 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754b8ac8f0896ed0c237094\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Rebel fighters claim to have entered key city of Homs &#8211; report<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">William Christou<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Syrian opposition media reports that Syrian government forces have withdrawn from Homs city and fighters from Hay\u2019at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) have entered the city proper.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Videos showed members of state security branches fleeing their posts in Homs before the rebel advance. Syrian state media did not acknowledge the loss of the city, but said that HTS fighters had entered the city\u2019s suburbs and outlying villages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">If Homs were to fall to rebels, Damascus would be cut off from Tartous and Latakia \u2013 coastal provinces where Bashar al-Assad has historically enjoyed strong support. Rebel forces would then be approaching the country\u2019s capital city from the north from Homs, from the south from Daraa and Suwayda province and from the east from the ancient city of Palmyra.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754b8ac8f0896ed0c237094&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754b8ac8f0896ed0c237094#block-6754b8ac8f0896ed0c237094\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T21:40:34.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 04:40 PM Eastern Standard Time\">16.40 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754b4888f08d291b219ab06\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Here are some of the latest images from inside <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Syria<\/a> sent to us over the news wires:<\/p>\n<figure id=\"6870ebfe-822c-4eba-845b-4e1817fc30ee\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Hama residents demonstrate in support of the armed groups against the regime.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"128034e1-1318-4ac1-b2e2-53b5f842ad4c\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Daily life continues in Hama, recently seized by anti-regime armed groups in Syria.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"e64772d6-44e3-40d9-b1d4-617a2462bf8f\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.ImageBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><figcaption data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" class=\"dcr-1fujct4\"><span class=\"dcr-1inf02i\"><svg width=\"18\" height=\"13\" viewbox=\"0 0 18 13\"><path d=\"M18 3.5v8l-1.5 1.5h-15l-1.5-1.5v-8l1.5-1.5h3.5l2-2h4l2 2h3.5l1.5 1.5zm-9 7.5c1.9 0 3.5-1.6 3.5-3.5s-1.6-3.5-3.5-3.5-3.5 1.6-3.5 3.5 1.6 3.5 3.5 3.5z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"dcr-1qvd3m6\">Posters of the regime are removed from streets, with tanks abandoned on roads leading to Hama.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754b4888f08d291b219ab06&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754b4888f08d291b219ab06#block-6754b4888f08d291b219ab06\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T21:10:25.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 04:10 PM Eastern Standard Time\">16.10 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754b18c8f08065f386f3241\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\"><strong>Lebanon\u2019s health ministry said on Saturday that Israeli airstrikes had killed six people in the country\u2019s south, just 10 days into a ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Agence France-Presse reports that both Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah have been accused of violating the truce, which took effect on 27 November to end a conflict that has left thousands dead in Lebanon and caused mass displacement on both sides.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">According to the ministry, \u201cThe Israeli enemy\u2019s airstrike on the town of Beit Lif resulted in the martyrdom of five people and the injury of five others.\u201d It added that a separate drone strike killed one person in the town of Deir Seryan.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754b18c8f08065f386f3241&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754b18c8f08065f386f3241#block-6754b18c8f08065f386f3241\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T21:08:24.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 04:08 PM Eastern Standard Time\">16.08 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754ae568f08065f386f3234\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<h2 class=\"dcr-1wl2b6o\">Residents of isolated Syrian refugee camp liberated after more than 10 years<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-16bg4qr\">William Christou<\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Residents of al-Rukban camp rejoiced on Saturday night, after the Syrian army soldiers which had enforced a more than six-year-long siege on the camp abandoned their positions and fled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Al-Rukban, a camp formed in 2014 in the arid no man\u2019s land between Syria and Jordan, houses about 10,000 refugees who fled the Syrian government\u2019s crackdown on protesters during the country\u2019s revolution. In 2018, the Syrian army and the Jordanian government imposed a siege on the camp, forcing residents to survive on meager amounts of food brought in periodically by a few smugglers.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cI cannot describe the feelings, the words don\u2019t exist. I will be able to return to my village after 14 years,\u201d said Yasser, a resident of the camp originally from a village outside Homs in central Syria speaking under a pseudonym in case government forces returned. Yasser had read a few hours earlier that the Syrian army had been driven out of his home town by rebels led by the Islamist group <strong>Hayat Tahrir al-Sham<\/strong> (HTS) as part of its attempt to take Homs city.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Pictures sent to the guardian showed Syrian army vehicles, tanks and artillery abandoned where soldiers had fled or had been killed by members of the Free Syrian Army. The Free Syrian Army had patrolled the 55-kilometer demilitarized zone around the camp, supervised by US forces as part of its global coalition to defeat the Islamic State.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">On Saturday, the Free Syrian Army had broken out of the demilitarized zone, killing the remaining Syrian army soldiers and capturing the ancient city of Palmyra.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Leaving al-Rukban had been a dream for Yasser and for the other camp residents. Living conditions in the camp had deteriorated in recent years, with food and medical supplies scarce. Syrian soldiers had tightened their siege on the camp, preventing smugglers from reaching the camp. During the last survey of a UN clinic before it closed down in 2020, almost 100% of children under five who went to the clinic were malnourished.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Still, camp residents had to wait before they could return home. The area around the demilitarized zone had been heavily mined, and would take some time to clear.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cWe have to wait around 20 days. I will be counting every second,\u201d Yasser said.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754ae568f08065f386f3234&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754ae568f08065f386f3234#block-6754ae568f08065f386f3234\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T20:30:19.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 03:30 PM Eastern Standard Time\">15.30 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754a9318f08065f386f3221\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\"\/>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Amid rampant speculation as to the whereabouts of President <strong>Bashar al-Assad<\/strong> as the rebel offensive presses ever closer to the capital, Bloomberg\u2019s Sam Dagher reports that the leader of an increasingly shrinking rump state is making a last-ditch effort to hold on to power. This includes indirect diplomatic overtures to the US and President-elect <strong>Donald Trump<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">One proposal, according to Dagher, conveyed through the United Arab Emirates, offers to sever Syria\u2019s ties with Iran-backed militant groups like Hezbollah \u2013 but only if western powers use their influence to curb the fighting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">Assad has ordered his army to retreat and focus on defending Damascus, effectively relinquishing control of much of the country.<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754a9318f08065f386f3221&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754a9318f08065f386f3221#block-6754a9318f08065f386f3221\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/p>\n<p>Updated at\u00a0<time datetime=\"2024-12-07T20:35:39.000Z\" data-locale=\"en-us\" title=\"Saturday, December 7, 2024 at 03:35 PM Eastern Standard Time\">15.35 EST<\/time><\/p>\n<\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"block-6754a2f78f08065f386f31fa\" class=\"block dcr-1os4bxs\">\n<header class=\"dcr-88va8u\">\n<div class=\"dcr-dzkvsd\">\n<div class=\"dcr-uae6pk\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2008\/11\/13\/1226612716093\/robert_mackey_nyt.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=ed1eb80ec6e4e46508e9a0b7bbf80e61\" alt=\"Robert Mackey\" class=\"dcr-lysqes\"\/><\/div>\n<p><span class=\"dcr-sa35sa\">Robert Mackey<\/span><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">As government forces withdraw from cities and towns across <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/syria\" data-link-name=\"in body link\" data-component=\"auto-linked-tag\">Syria<\/a>, there is a scramble to preserve documents that could be used to hold members of President <strong>Bashar al-Assad<\/strong>\u2019s regime to account for crimes against humanity. The Syrian journalist <strong>Qusay Noor<\/strong> points to video that appears to show \u201ca huge warehouse of records and reports on citizens in the Political Security Branch\u201d in the city of Suwayda.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"bd9753ff-f8ed-4afa-9435-1d781f8ac82c\" data-spacefinder-role=\"inline\" data-spacefinder-type=\"model.dotcomrendering.pageElements.EmbedBlockElement\" class=\" dcr-173mewl\"><gu-island name=\"UnsafeEmbedBlockComponent\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;html&quot;:&quot;&lt;blockquote class=\\&quot;bluesky-embed\\&quot; data-bluesky-uri=\\&quot;at:\/\/did:plc:wrm4rvukusjpz24bdo63ozkm\/app.bsky.feed.post\/3lcppveu7j226\\&quot; data-bluesky-cid=\\&quot;bafyreidlpngtl2amfxvafae77glsh33dknlj5abg6sahx4plb255pdlmoq\\&quot;&gt;&lt;p lang=\\&quot;en\\&quot;&gt;A video shows a huge warehouse of records and reports on citizens in the Political Security Branch in the city of #Suwayda&lt;br&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:wrm4rvukusjpz24bdo63ozkm\/post\/3lcppveu7j226?ref_src=embed\\&quot;&gt;[image or embed]&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\u2014 Qusay Noor (&lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:wrm4rvukusjpz24bdo63ozkm?ref_src=embed\\&quot;&gt;@qusaynoor.bsky.social&lt;\/a&gt;) &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/did:plc:wrm4rvukusjpz24bdo63ozkm\/post\/3lcppveu7j226?ref_src=embed\\&quot;&gt;December 7, 2024 at 4:42 AM&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/blockquote&gt;&lt;script async src=\\&quot;https:\/\/embed.bsky.app\/static\/embed.js\\&quot; charset=\\&quot;utf-8\\&quot;&gt;&lt;\/script&gt;&quot;,&quot;alt&quot;:&quot;Video of files from the Syrian government &quot;,&quot;index&quot;:1,&quot;isTracking&quot;:true,&quot;isMainMedia&quot;:false,&quot;sourceDomain&quot;:&quot;embed.bsky.app&quot;,&quot;isPinnedPost&quot;:false}\"><\/p>\n<div data-component=\"click-to-view:embed.bsky.app\" class=\"dcr-umpqcy\">\n<p>Allow content provided by a third party?<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-j4jr8l\">This article includes content hosted on embed.bsky.app. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as the provider may be using cookies and other technologies. To view this content, <strong>click &#8216;Allow and continue&#8217;<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/gu-island><\/figure>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">But, <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/Rim_Turkmani\/status\/1865472376755859464\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">according to<\/a> <strong>Rim Turkmani<\/strong>, director of the Syria conflict research programme at the London School of Economics: \u201cThe notorious State Security branch of Mukhabarat in Homs has evacuated its building, setting tons of documents \u2013 evidence of their crimes \u2013 ablaze on the roof. Friends in the city witnessed the evacuation from their balconies, and now, many in Homs are overwhelmed with tears of relief and joy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"dcr-1eu361v\">\u201cAs opposition forces continue to take control of key sites across Syria \u2013 central offices, prisons, political, intelligence offices, and military branches \u2013 we are witnessing a historical moment in the search for justice!\u201d <strong>Rawan Shaif<\/strong> of Amnesty International <a href=\"https:\/\/bsky.app\/profile\/rawanssa18.bsky.social\/post\/3lcpvx4k33s2q\" data-link-name=\"in body link\">notes on Bluesky<\/a>. \u201cThese documents are not just pieces of paper \u2013 they are the threads that connect us to the past and to the hope for accountability. They hold the potential to expose the full extent of the crimes committed and the perpetrators behind them. They are essential for holding individuals, command, and perpetrators accountable and ensuring that justice is pursued. But the road ahead requires preservation; these materials, these records and accounts, must be safeguarded, archived, and kept secure. Some incredibly emotional times ahead, but the work is just beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<footer class=\"dcr-3i7iba\"><gu-island name=\"ShareButton\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"visible\" props=\"{&quot;size&quot;:&quot;xsmall&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;blockId&quot;:&quot;6754a2f78f08065f386f31fa&quot;,&quot;webTitle&quot;:&quot;Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&quot;,&quot;format&quot;:{&quot;design&quot;:11,&quot;display&quot;:0,&quot;theme&quot;:0},&quot;context&quot;:&quot;LiveBlock&quot;}\"><a href=\"mailto:?subject=Syrian rebels claim control of key city of Homs, opening path to Damascus&amp;body=https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad?CMP=share_btn_url&amp;page=with%3Ablock-6754a2f78f08065f386f31fa#block-6754a2f78f08065f386f31fa\" type=\"button\" class=\"dcr-1v00ko5\">Share<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewbox=\"-3 -3 30 30\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path fill-rule=\"evenodd\" clip-rule=\"evenodd\" d=\"M19 16c1.675 0 3 1.35 3 3 0 1.675-1.325 3-3 3a2.97 2.97 0 0 1-2.975-3c0-.125 0-.275.025-.375L7.1 14.15a2.9 2.9 0 0 1-2.075.825C3.325 14.975 2 13.65 2 12a3.004 3.004 0 0 1 3.025-3.025c.775 0 1.5.35 2.075.875l8.95-4.475c-.025-.1-.025-.225-.025-.4A2.966 2.966 0 0 1 19 2c1.675 0 3 1.325 3 2.975C22 6.65 20.675 8 19 8c-.8 0-1.475-.325-2.05-.825l-8.975 4.45C8 11.7 8 11.825 8 12s0 .3-.025.375l8.975 4.45c.575-.5 1.25-.825 2.05-.825m0-12.8c-.975 0-1.8.775-1.8 1.775S18.025 6.8 19 6.8c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.825S20 3.2 19 3.2m0 17.6c1 0 1.825-.825 1.825-1.8 0-1-.825-1.8-1.825-1.8-.975 0-1.8.8-1.8 1.8 0 .975.825 1.8 1.8 1.8\"\/><\/svg><\/a><\/gu-island><\/footer>\n<\/article>\n<p><gu-island name=\"LiveBlogEpic\" priority=\"feature\" deferuntil=\"idle\" props=\"{&quot;sectionId&quot;:&quot;world&quot;,&quot;shouldHideReaderRevenue&quot;:false,&quot;tags&quot;:[{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;world\/series\/middle-east-crisis&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Series&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Middle East crisis live&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;world\/middleeast&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Keyword&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Middle East and north Africa&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;world\/syria&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Keyword&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Syria&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;world\/world&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Keyword&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;World news&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;type\/article&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Type&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Article&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;tone\/minutebyminute&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Tone&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Minute by minute&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;tone\/news&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Tone&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;News&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/hamish-mackay&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Hamish Mackay&quot;,&quot;twitterHandle&quot;:&quot;HamishMackay&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/coral-murphy-marcos&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Coral Murphy Marcos&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/tom-ambrose&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Tom Ambrose&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/faisal-ali&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Faisal Ali&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/william-christou&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;William Christou&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/ruth-michaelson&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Ruth Michaelson&quot;,&quot;bylineImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2022\/02\/24\/Ruth_Michaelson.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=02c72fc8bf5dab4706b2cc8ed212f8a5&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/robert-mackey&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Robert Mackey&quot;,&quot;bylineImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/pictures\/2008\/11\/13\/1226612716093\/robert_mackey_nyt.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=ed1eb80ec6e4e46508e9a0b7bbf80e61&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;profile\/patrickwintour&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Contributor&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Patrick Wintour&quot;,&quot;bylineImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/static\/sys-images\/Guardian\/Pix\/contributor\/2015\/2\/4\/1423058508175\/Patrick-Wintour.jpg?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=0214aa9c1e69866694a667e8b6f06d4f&quot;,&quot;bylineLargeImageUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/i.guim.co.uk\/img\/uploads\/2017\/10\/09\/Patrick-Wintour,-R.png?width=300&amp;quality=85&amp;auto=format&amp;fit=max&amp;s=e0667fc9c61eae5efd46797b8b06c93c&quot;},{&quot;id&quot;:&quot;tracking\/commissioningdesk\/digital-backbench&quot;,&quot;type&quot;:&quot;Tracking&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;UK Digital Backbench&quot;}],&quot;isPaidContent&quot;:false,&quot;contributionsServiceUrl&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/contributions.guardianapis.com&quot;,&quot;pageId&quot;:&quot;world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad&quot;,&quot;keywordIds&quot;:&quot;world\/middleeast,world\/syria,world\/world&quot;}\"\/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\r\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\r\n     style=\"display:block\"\r\n     data-ad-format=\"fluid\"\r\n     data-ad-layout-key=\"-fb+5w+4e-db+86\"\r\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-3711241968723425\"\r\n     data-ad-slot=\"7910942971\"><\/ins>\r\n<script>\r\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\r\n<\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><div data-type=\"_mgwidget\" data-widget-id=\"1660802\">\r\n<\/div>\r\n<script>(function(w,q){w[q]=w[q]||[];w[q].push([\"_mgc.load\"])})(window,\"_mgq\");\r\n<\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/live\/2024\/dec\/07\/syria-rebels-reach-damascus-bashar-al-assad\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul-Ghani says insurgent forces have &#8216;fully liberated&#8217; Syria\u2019s central city of Homs, Reuters confirms Faisal Ali Al Jazeera Mubasher has been broadcasting live footage early Sunday &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/?p=134630\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-world","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134630","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=134630"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134630\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=134630"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=134630"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hotvideos24.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=134630"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}