Fall of Damascus
 | This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (December 2024) |
| Battle of Damascus (2024) | |||||||
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| Part of the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives during the Syrian civil war | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Syrian Salvation Government Syrian Interim GovernmentFile:Southern Operations Room.png Southern Operations Room |
 Syrian Arab Republic | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Bashar al-Assad | |||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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Syrian Arab Armed Forces | ||||||
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On 7 December 2024, Syrian opposition forces entered the Rif Dimashq region from the south, and came within 20 kilometres (12 mi) of the capital Damascus.[1] Concurrently with the advance towards Damascus, opposition forces in the north launched an offensive into Homs city.[2]
Battle
On 7 December, Syrian rebels announced that they started surrounding Damascus after capturing nearby towns, with rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani stating that "our forces have begun implementing the final phase of encircling the capital Damascus."[3] The rebels started encircling the capital after capturing Al-Sanamayn, a town 20 kilometres (12 mi) from the southern entrance of Damascus.[4]
In the Rif Dimashq region, pro-government forces withdrew from the towns of Assal al-Ward, Yabroud, Flitah, Al-Naseriyah and Artouz, while rebels came within 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) of Damascus.[5] The Syrian government denied claims that its army had withdrawn from positions near the city.[6] By the evening, pro-government forces had left the towns on the outskirts of Damascus, including Jaramana, Qatana, Muadamiyat al-Sham, Darayya, Al-Kiswah, Al-Dumayr and sites near the Mezzeh Air Base.[7] In the main square of Jaramana, protestors took down a statue of Bashar al-Assad's father, Hafez al-Assad.[8]
The Syrian government denied allegations that Bashar has fled Damascus, condemning them as "rumors and false news."[9]
See also
References
- ^ "10 km from the capital Damascus.. The regime is withdrawing rapidly in southern Syria and the factions are advancing" (in Arabic). SOHR. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Local factions break the first lines of defense of Homs city and attack the headquarters of the 26th Division and the College of Engineering near the city" (in Arabic). SOHR. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ Abdulrahim, Raja (7 December 2024). "Syria's Government Battles Multiple Rebel Uprisings". The New York Times. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Syrian rebels say they control the south and are approaching Damascus". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
- ^ "Successive withdrawals from the Damascus countryside to secure the capital.. Reconciliation factions are a few kilometers away from the capital Damascus" (in Arabic). SOHR. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Syrian rebels say they have begun encirclement of Damascus". www.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
- ^ "After the major withdrawal in the Damascus countryside and cities adjacent to the capital.. Regime forces redeploy in the capital Damascus" (in Arabic). SOHR. 7 December 2024. Retrieved 7 December 2024.
- ^ "Syrian rebels close in on capital Damascus and enter key city Homs". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
- ^ "Syrian rebels close in on capital Damascus and enter key city Homs". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-12-07.
