Syrian rebels announced they have begun surrounding government-held Damascus after capturing nearby towns on Saturday. Rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani stated that their forces had entered the final phase of encircling the capital. However, the Syrian defence ministry denied claims that the army had retreated from positions near Damascus, asserting that their forces remained in control of all areas surrounding the capital.

Thousands of people have fled Homs, Syria's third-largest city, following the capture of two nearby towns by rebel forces on Friday. Online footage captured the exodus, showing vehicles filled with evacuees leaving Homs, a city with a significant Alawite population—an ethnic group that is a key supporter of President Bashar al-Assad.

Syrian antigovernment forces, led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, announced they had reached the outskirts of Homs after a swift offensive. A commander stated that their forces had liberated the last village near the city and were now at its walls.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that thousands of Homs residents began fleeing overnight, heading toward the western coast, where President Bashar al-Assad's forces still hold control.

Syrian forces have lost control of Daraa, the third-largest city, as fighting intensifies between government forces led by President Bashar al-Assad and anti-government rebels. While Daraa was captured by local armed groups, Aleppo and Hama fell to a rebel alliance led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which launched its offensive on November 27.

Here Are The Latest Updates: 

 - Syrian rebel forces have captured the southern town of Sanamayn and advanced to within 20 kilometres of Damascus, according to rebel commander Hassan Abdul-Ghani. The town, located in southern Daraa province on the main highway from Damascus to Jordan, is a key strategic point in the ongoing offensive led by an Islamist-led alliance in the northwest.

 - Syrian troops withdrew from their positions in the southern province of Quneitra, near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, marking the first time the area has been free of Syrian military presence. According to Rami Abdel Rahman of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, both military and security forces evacuated their posts, and civil servants also left their positions.

 - Jordan has joined other countries in urging its citizens to leave Syria, following the closure of its border crossing. A UN spokesperson stated that the organisation would continue supporting people in Syria despite the partial withdrawal of services.

- Local opposition groups have seized control of most of southern Daraa province, including Daraa city, now controlling over 90 per cent of the area as regime forces continue to retreat. These developments follow the capture of key cities Aleppo and Hama by an Islamist-led rebel alliance, marking a significant challenge to President Bashar al-Assad's authority.

- Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim ruling parties and armed groups are considering the possibility of intervening militarily in Syria, seeing the advance of Sunni Islamist rebels, who have captured two cities and are approaching a third, as a serious threat.




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