While the forces of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham prepare to storm the key city of Homs, other factions of the Syrian rebels are making significant advances in the south and east of Syria. This is reported by Reuters.
"Since the rebels invaded Aleppo a week ago, government defenses have been collapsing across the country at a dizzying pace, as the rebels have taken several major cities and risen in areas where the uprising seemed long over," the publication states.
Islamists from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham have declared that they are already "at the walls" of Homs after capturing the last village on its northern outskirts late Friday night. Taking Homs would split the territory controlled by the government into two separate parts - with the capital Damascus in the south and the strategically significant region of Latakia on the Mediterranean coast. Latakia is not only home to two important Russian bases - naval and air - but also houses a compact community of the Alawite religious minority, the backbone of Assad's regime.
A Syrian military officer reported that on Saturday morning, following intensive nighttime airstrikes against the rebels, there was a lull in the fighting. He also mentioned that a large convoy of troops and vehicles was redeployed from Palmyra (a key city in the central desert) to assist in the defense of Homs.
However, the decision to withdraw troops from Palmyra had catastrophic consequences. According to the Turkish agency Anadolu, rebels from another faction have taken control of the city along with the surrounding settlements. Palmyra was one of the critical locations that experienced fierce battles in the first half of the Syrian war. With the help of the Russian Federation, the government army was able to recapture Palmyra in 2017. At that time, Russia made the control of Palmyra one of the pillars of its propaganda regarding the Syrian war.
Nevertheless, the loss of Palmyra now seems to be the least of Assad's regime's problems. To the south of Damascus, another faction of rebels, which had been considered "pacified" in recent years, is launching a highly successful offensive, despite not being under government control. Against the backdrop of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's successful advances in the north, the southern alliance has broken its agreements with the government and is now advancing towards the capital of Syria. In particular, these rebel units already control important southern cities such as Deraa, Suweida, and Quneitra.
In fact, the government in Damascus no longer has a direct route to the borders with Jordan, Iraq, and Turkey. External assistance, in theory, may only come from Lebanon; however, there, Israel has already decimated the main forces of Hezbollah.
As long as Homs is not captured, Bashar Assad's government can still hope for assistance from Russia through the ports in Latakia.
Situation in Syria: Latest News
As reported by UNIAN, Iran began evacuating its military and diplomatic personnel from Syria on December 6. This indicates Tehran's inability to help the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad confront the rebels.
We also noted that the loss of the base in Syria will force Putin to seek peace with Ukraine. Without a naval base in Tartus, Russia may lose its influence in Africa and the Middle East.