And have torn down a statue of his late father in a suburb near the centre of the capital, Damascus. That’s after claiming Aleppo in the north, Hama in the centre, Deir el Zor in the east, Suweida, Quneitra and Deraa in the south. According to army and rebel sources cited by Reuters, insurgents entered Homs from the north and east today. Meanwhile, the rebels have extended their hold to almost the entire southwest, and have said they have taken Sanamayn on the main road from Damascus to Jordan.

Jonathan Landis, a Syria specialist at the University of Oklahoma, said Homs is the “key” – and rebels have said they are “at the walls” after seizing the last village north of the city. Assad could be ousted within a week, Western officials say Western officials have suggested Syrian president Bashar al-Assad’s rule could end within a week. US and other Western officials made the prediction as rebels looking to overthrow the Assad regime saw huge progress today, claiming control of Syria’s third biggest city Homs while advancing closer to the capital of Damascus with minimal pushback.

The comments were made to Reuters on the condition of anonymity. The US official put the timeframe at five to 10 days while another said Assad could be ousted in the coming week. A Western official agreed with the latter assessment. The government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. Homs is a particularly significant loss, as it’s a crossroads between the capital and the Mediterranean, meaning its loss effectively cuts off Damascus from the coastal stronghold of Assad’s minority Alawite sect, and from Russia’s air and naval base.

The Syrian army and security commanders fled the city by helicopter for the coast while a large military convoy withdrew by land, a senior army officer said. Meanwhile, rebels entered the city centre and seized control, with witnesses saying thousands poured onto the streets to celebrate. Rebels say they have seized full control of Homs – Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany says the rebels have “fully liberated” Syria’s central city of Homs.

It comes minutes after the leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al Sham said the city was in the midst of a “historic moment”. Syrian government forces withdrew from Homs earlier today, along with fighters from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces who have been aiding the Syrian army against the rebel movement. Homs stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus – the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base.

Its loss is seen as a crippling blow for Assad’s regime. It means the government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus. Rebels say they are in ‘final moments of liberating Homs’ – We’ve been hearing more from the vital city of Homs, where government forces have fled and left rebels to move in. The leader of the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al Golani, said in a video message: “We are living the final moments of liberating Homs.”

The former al Qaeda affiliate added it was a “historic moment” and called on his fighters not to harm “those who drop their arms”. HTS also says it has freed more than 3,500 inmates from the city’s military prison. Meanwhile, thousands of people there are celebrating and chanting for the downfall of the Assad family, according to Reuters. Explained: Key areas where the rebels have taken control The map below shows several key locations in Syria, as well as the Iraqi town of Al Qaim, where troops are seeking refuge.

The rebels started their shock offensive in the country’s biggest city, Aleppo, 10 days ago.  In the space of just a week, they took Aleppo and then Hama, Syria’s fourth largest city. The fighters captured eastern Deir el Zor yesterday, jeopardising Assad’s land connection to allies in Iraq. The rebels also claimed control of Suweida last night, after clashes which led to at least five people being killed at the city’s main police station. They also captured Sanamayn, on the main highway from Damascus to Jordan.

Homs is currently under siege – as we just reported, Assad’s troops have started to flee while the rebels move in. And they are closing in on central Damascus now, with the latest updates suggesting they are at the gates of the capital after claiming some nearby suburbs. Government forces withdraw from a key city of Homs – Syrian 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.

It comes hours after we first reported that rebels had reached the city and claimed control of several villages there. Dozens of fighters from Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces, who have been aiding the Syrian army against the rebel movement, have also fled the city, according to a Syrian army officer. Homs stands at an important intersection between Damascus and Syria’s coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus – the Syrian leader’s base of support and home to a Russian strategic naval base.  Its loss is seen as a crippling blow for Assad’s regime.

Britain warns Syrian govt against using chemical weapons – Britain’s Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East has warned the Syrian government against using chemical weapons to fend off the rebels. Speaking at a security conference in Bahrain, Hamish Falconer said “any suggestion of the use of chemical weapons would be intolerable”. He added it would be considered crossing a red line and would be met with “appropriate action”.

Assad’s regime has used chemical weapons in recent years to maintain power. US president-elect Donald Trump branded Assad an “animal” in 2018 for using chemical weapons – accusations Assad has always denied. In a statement this evening, the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) said it had no intention of using chemical weapons during fighting “under any circumstances”.

Courtesy: Sky News