Syrian rebels battled government forces for control of the key city of Homs on Saturday and advanced towards the capital Damascus as front lines collapsed.
Rebel fighters sit on a vehicle in Homs countryside, after Syria n rebels pressed their lightning advance on Saturday, saying they had seized most of the south, as government forces dug in to defend the key central city of Homs to try to save President Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule, in Syria December 7, 2024.
State television reported that the insurgents had not penetrated into Homs although it said they were on the city outskirts, where it said the military was striking them with artillery and drones. Assad had long relied on allies to subdue the rebels, with bombing by Russian warplanes, while Iran sent allied forces, including Lebanon's Hezbollah and Iraqi militia, to bolster the Syrian military and storm insurgent strongholds.
Moscow has been supporting government forces with intense air strikes but it was not clear if it could easily step up this campaign. Britain warned Assad that any chemical weapons use was a red line and would be met with "appropriate action."The Homs resident said he had seen the rebels advance past a Syrian Air Force base in the north of the city that was considered a major defensive area. The resident later said fighting was audible in the city outskirts.
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