6 days ago
6
Tens of thousands of radical are fleeing Syria's third-largest metropolis Homs successful fearfulness that Islamist-led rebels volition proceed to beforehand towards the capital, Damascus.
The rebels seized Hama to the northbound connected Thursday, a 2nd large stroke to President Bashar al Assad who mislaid power of Aleppo past week.
The person of the Islamist militant radical Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, told residents of Homs "your clip has come".
Syrian rebels launched a astonishment violative against the authorities past week and person truthful acold captured 2 large cities.
They person been advancing southbound - and Homs is the adjacent metropolis connected the roadworthy from Aleppo to Damascus.
Terrified members of President Assad's Alawite number assemblage are leaving Homs, with video footage showing roads jammed with cars.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), a UK-based monitoring group, is reporting that combatant jets person targeted a span connected a roadworthy linking Homs and Hama to effort to dilatory the rebels' advance.
After the Syrian subject mislaid power of Hama pursuing days of fighting, it is not wide whether it volition beryllium capable to support Homs.
It is simply a strategical metropolis linking the superior to the Alawite heartland connected the Mediterranean coast, Assad's governmental stronghold and cardinal to his grip connected power.
More than fractional a cardinal radical person been killed since a civilian warfare erupted successful 2011 aft Assad's authorities cracked down violently connected peaceful pro-democracy protests.
The rebel violative which began 9 days agone is the swiftest battlefield beforehand by either broadside since the civilian war.
The SOHR says much than 820 people, including 111 civilians, person been killed crossed the state truthful far.
Earlier, HTS fighters and their allies took implicit Hama cardinal situation and released inmates amid fierce battles, portion the subject said it had redeployed troops extracurricular the city.
Hama is location to 1 cardinal radical and is 110km (70 miles) southbound of Aleppo, which the rebels captured past week aft launching a astonishment violative from their stronghold successful the north-west.
President Assad has vowed to "crush" the rebels and accused Western powers of trying to redraw the representation of the region, portion his cardinal allies Russia and Iran person offered their "unconditional support".
In the past, President Assad relied connected Russia and Iran to crush his opponents.
Russian warplanes person intensified strikes connected rebel-held areas, Iran-backed militias person sent fighters to reenforce the government's antiaircraft lines, and Iran has said it is acceptable to nonstop further forces to Syria if asked.
But with some allies preoccupied with their ain affairs, it is unclear however - oregon if - helium volition beryllium capable to halt an beforehand that could endanger his government's survival.
Meanwhile the UN has said the warring is besides "worsening an already horrific concern for civilians successful the northbound of the county".
An estimated 280,000 radical person been displaced, astir of them women and children, and immoderate civilians are trapped successful front-line areas incapable to scope safer locations.
In Aleppo, a metropolis of 2 cardinal people, immoderate nationalist services and captious facilities - including hospitals, bakeries, powerfulness stations, water, net and telecommunications - are disrupted oregon non-functional due to the fact that of shortages of supplies and personnel.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged "all those with power to bash their part" to extremity the civilian war.
English (US)