Fri Dec 06 11:49:42 UTC 2024: ## Rebel Forces Advance on Homs, Triggering Mass Exodus

**BEIRUT/DAMASCUS** – A major offensive by rebel forces, spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, has pushed them to the outskirts of Homs, Syria, prompting a mass exodus of thousands of civilians, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

The rapid advance, following the recent rebel capture of Hama and Aleppo, has left HTS fighters just 5 kilometers from Homs city limits after seizing the towns of Rastan and Talbiseh. This strategic push threatens to severely destabilize the region, as Homs serves as a crucial link between Damascus and President Bashar al-Assad’s coastal strongholds.

The UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that approximately 280,000 people have been displaced in the past week due to the renewed fighting, with warnings that this number could surge to 1.5 million. Thousands of Homs residents fled overnight towards the Assad-controlled western coast.

The Syrian army reported that Russian airstrikes destroyed the Rastan bridge on the M5 highway connecting Hama and Homs, further hindering government efforts to counter the rebel advance. Adding to the escalating tensions, Israel launched air strikes targeting Syrian border crossings with Lebanon, claiming to have struck weapons transfer hubs used by Hezbollah, which supports the Assad regime. Hezbollah has reportedly sent forces to Homs.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Ministry of Defence stated that it was targeting rebel positions in Hama with the support of Syrian and Russian warplanes. Concurrently, SOHR reported the sudden withdrawal of Syrian troops from eastern Deir ez-Zor, raising concerns about the potential for further instability in the oil-rich region.

The rebel offensive comes as Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Sabbagh meets with his Iraqi and Iranian counterparts in Baghdad. Iran, a key ally of Assad, reportedly plans to send more military advisors, forces, missiles, and drones to bolster the Syrian government’s defenses. The situation remains highly volatile, with the potential for further displacement and escalation of the conflict.

Read More