Syria Opposition Factions Say Encircling Damascus

Opposition fighters at a military airbase seized from the government, near the central city of Hama - AFP
Opposition fighters at a military airbase seized from the government, near the central city of Hama - AFP
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Syria Opposition Factions Say Encircling Damascus

Opposition fighters at a military airbase seized from the government, near the central city of Hama - AFP
Opposition fighters at a military airbase seized from the government, near the central city of Hama - AFP

Opposition factions on a lightning advance through Syria said on Saturday they have begun to encircle Damascus as government forces denied they had withdrawn from areas near the capital.

"Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus," said opposition commander Hassan Abdel Ghani.

The defense ministry flatly denied the army had fled positions near the city, according to AFP.

"There is no truth to news claiming our armed forces, present in all areas of the Damascus countryside, have withdrawn," it said.
Earlier, a war monitor and Abdel Ghani said opposition fighters were within 20 kilometres of Damascus as government forces fall back in the face of the offensive gathering even more momentum.

The Syria Observatory for Human Rights said government forces had ceded more key ground, losing control of all of southern Daraa province and evacuating posts in Quneitra, near the Israel-annexed Golan Heights.

The monitor said government forces were also pulling out of towns as little as 10 kilometres (six miles) from Damascus.

Abdel Ghani said earlier that "our forces were able to control the Saasaa (security) branch in the Damascus countryside. The advance towards the capital continues."

Airstrikes and shelling by government forces and their ally Russia killed at least seven civilians near the city of Homs, as the army sought to slow the opposition advance there.

The opposition gains have brought Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and its allies to the doorstep of President Bashar al-Assad's seat of power, just over a week into a renewed offensive in a conflict that had long seemed frozen.

As the militants seize more territory, they have also sought to reassure those living in areas now under their control.

Abdel Ghani in a statement on Telegram Saturday recognized that the opposition had taken areas where "different religious sects and minorities" live.

"We ask that all sects be reassured... for the era of sectarianism and tyranny has gone away forever," he said.

Minorities have often been persecuted during Syria's long conflict, and HTS's precursor Al-Nusra Front, which was linked to Al-Qaeda, launched deadly attacks on Assad's Alawite minority in Homs early in the war.

The army said it was redeploying in the south where the Observatory said the government had lost control of Daraa province and the key city of the same name, cradle of the 2011 uprising.

An AFP correspondent in Daraa saw local fighters guarding public property and civil institutions on Saturday.

In the central Homs area, a key stepping stone to the seat of power in Damascus, the Observatory said government forces had brought "large reinforcements" and stopped the opposition advance.

An army statement carried by state media said government forces were "redeploying and repositioning" in the southern provinces of Sweida and Daraa.

But both the Observatory and opposition said that government forces no longer controlled any of Daraa province.

Daraa and Quneitra are near the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, where Israel said it was boosting its troop presence, and Jordan, which late Friday urged its citizens to leave Syria "as soon as possible".

Russia and the United States have also advised their nationals to leave.

For his part, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a "political solution to the conflict" and for the protection of civilians and minorities, his spokesperson said Friday, in a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan and his Iranian and Russian counterparts discussed Syria in Qatar on Saturday.

Qatar's prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, said the world had been "surprised" by the speed of the opposition advance, and called for "a political framework" to prevent violence from spiralling.

He also said Assad had failed to "start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people".



Grundberg Concludes Visit to Sanaa, Urges Houthis to Deescalate Tensions, Release Detainees

Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)
Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)
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Grundberg Concludes Visit to Sanaa, Urges Houthis to Deescalate Tensions, Release Detainees

Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)
Grundberg arrives at Sanaa airport, Yemen (AFP)

The United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen, Hans Grundberg, urged on Thursday Houthi leaders to reduce national and regional escalation and release the detained UN staff and other humanitarian personnel.
The envoy stressed his determination to safeguard the progress made to date on the peace roadmap, which has been frozen since Houthis have stepped up their attacks against shipping routes in the Red Sea corridor.
Grundberg’s comments came on Thursday as he concluded a visit to Sanaa, his first to the Yemeni capital since May 2023.
The visit comes amid hopes that his efforts would prepare the ground for concrete actions for advancing the peace process in the country.
In a statement, Grundberg said he held discussions with senior political and military officials to renew engagement on the political process, focusing on addressing challenges and exploring possibilities for advancing peace within the region’s complex context.
During his meetings with Houthi leaders, the special envoy stressed the importance of national and regional de-escalation to foster an environment conducive to dialogue.
He urged the need for concrete actions to pave the way forward for a political process to achieve sustainable peace and stability across Yemen.
Grundberg’s discussions also highlighted the importance of taking steps to address economic challenges and improve living conditions, while simultaneously advancing preparations for a ceasefire – critical components of the road map and reaching a political resolution that meets the aspirations of Yemenis.
“I am determined to safeguard the progress made to date on the roadmap and keep focus on the prospects for peace in Yemen,” Grundberg noted.
Discussions on the conflict-related detainees file built on the progress made during negotiations held in Oman in July 2024.
The envoy emphasized that the file is vital for confidence building between the parties and advancing previous commitments.
He then underscored the importance of prioritizing this humanitarian issue as a step toward fostering trust that can help enable broader agreements and signal commitment to the peace process.
Protection of Civil Society
The Special Envoy started his visit to Sanaa at the home of the family of his colleague who has been arbitrarily detained by Houthis since June 2024.
He expressed his deepest compassion for what they have been enduring during this difficult period and offered his support, a statement by his office said.
Grundberg then updated the family on the UN efforts to secure the release of all arbitrarily detained personnel.
He also expressed solidarity with the families of the other detainees, acknowledging their shared anguish and the urgent need for their loved ones' release.
In all his discussions, the envoy strongly urged Houthis to release immediately and unconditionally the detained personnel from the UN, NGOs, civil society, and diplomatic missions.
Grundberg then echoed the Secretary General’s message that the arbitrary detentions are unacceptable and constitute a violation of international law.
“We must protect the role of civil society and humanitarian personnel. They make vital contributions to peace and rebuilding Yemen,” stated the Special Envoy.
Grundberg arrived in Yemen after holding talks with Omani officials in Muscat. Present at the talks was Houthi spokesman and chief negotiator Mohammed Abdelsalam.
The envoy is hoping to make a breakthrough in the Yemeni crisis after his efforts stalled with the Houthis launching their attacks on the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden shipping routes.
The Visit’s Agenda
Grundberg, a Swedish diplomat, is in Sanaa as part of his efforts to push the Houthis to take concrete actions for advancing the peace process.
He will also be pushing for the release of the arbitrarily detained UN personnel and also from other NGOs, civil society and diplomatic missions.
The envoy said he plans to conduct a series of national and regional meetings in the coming days under his mediation efforts.