Posted on 12/07/24
| News Source: Arutz-7
The commander of the Syrian jihadist rebel organization "Hayat Tahrir al-Sham", Abu Mohammad al-Julani, announced early Sunday morning that his forces have "completely liberated" the city of Homs, the third largest city in Syria, from the Assad regime.
He called on his fighters not to harm soldiers from the Syrian army who are laying down their weapons.
Israel has sent a message to the Syrian rebel forces warning that the IDF will act powerfully if forces dare to cross the Israel-Syria border and the 1974 armistice line.
At the same time, in light of the developments in Syria, the IDF has sent aerial and ground reinforcements to the Golan Heights, under command of Division 210, which operates on the Syrian border.
Bloomberg reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad sent a message, indirectly, to US President-elect Donald Trump, in an effort to preserve his rule. According to the report, Assad requested aid from the US through the United Arab Emirates, offering to cut ties with Iran and its proxies in exchange for aid from the West that would allow him to remain in power. Assad has also turned to Hungarian President Viktor Orban, trying to convince him that the Christian minority in Syria is in danger, and that Orban must use his connections to pressure Trump to intervene.
Meanwhile, the Syrian rebels entered Homs on Saturday, and reached the outskirts of Damascus. According to reports, the rebels already control some of Damascus' suburbs. Assad has denied reports that he fled the city, after reports said that his wife and children left Syria and escaped to Russia. A source considered well-versed in the details told CNN that the presidential guard is no longer in Assad's palace in Damascus.
Sources in the rebel forces on Saturday evening said that they took control over the prison in central Homs, and released hundreds of prisoners. In addition, residents of the city said that the Syrian government forces are retreating from Homs. Dozens of terrorists from Hezbollah's Radwan Force have fled Homs following a decision made jointly with the military that the city can no longer be defended.
Earlier, Trump clarified that, "The United States should have nothing to do with" the Syrian civil war. "This is not our fight. Let it play out. Do not get involved!"
Turkey is currently supporting some of the rebel groups, while Russia and Iran aid Assad.