The chief of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the militant group which heads the assault, informed fighters to arrange to take Damascus, 10 days right into a renewed offensive in Syria’s years-long battle, which had turn into principally dormant.
“Damascus awaits you,” HTS chief Ahmed al-Sharaa stated on Telegram, utilizing his actual identify as an alternative of his nom de guerre, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.
However the defence ministry insisted: “There isn’t a reality to information claiming our armed forces … have withdrawn” from positions close to Damascus.
The Syrian military stated that, along with the realm round Damascus, it was reinforcing positions within the south, and operations towards the rebels have been starting within the Hama, Homs and Daraa areas.
AFP has been unable to independently confirm a number of the data supplied by the federal government and the rebels, as its journalists can’t attain the areas round Damascus the place the rebels say they’re current.
Residents of the capital described to AFP a state of panic as site visitors jams clogged the town centre, folks sought provides and queued to withdraw cash from ATMs.
“The state of affairs was not like this once I left my home this morning … out of the blue everybody was scared,” stated one lady, Rania.
