The regime of President Assad of Syria is on the brink of collapse after rebels claimed the city of Homs, reached the gates of Damascus and forced state troops to retreat from swathes of the country.
Assad’s 24-year rule appeared to be almost over after rebel groups swept from the south to the outskirts of the capital and the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) faction moved into Homs, Syria’s third biggest city, to the north.
Hassan Abdel-Ghani, a rebel commander, said Homs had been “fully liberated” and that senior regime officials in Damascus were in talks to defect.
Late on Saturday crowds of people were said to be celebrating in the streets as rebels declared the release of 3,500 inmates at the city’s military prison. Capture