Syrian opposition groups say they had started to surround Syria’s government-held capital Damascus as armed HTS chief says government’s collapse is near.
Reports say Syrian army has withdrawn from much of the southern region as opposition fighters advance, but the defence ministry denied those claims.
Air strikes and shelling by government forces and their ally Russia killed at least seven civilians near the city of Homs.
President Bashar al-Assad’s government has lost control of major cities including Aleppo, Hama and Deraa.
HTS chief Abu Mohammed al-Julani says rebel fighters are on the edge of Damascus and Homs and the government’s collapse is near.
“You are on the edges of Homs and Damascus, and the fall of the regime is within sight,” al-Julani said in a message to opposition fighters.
“I renew my call to you, my brothers, to be merciful and gentle when dealing with our people in the cities and villages that you enter.”
He also reiterated his promise of amnesty for government forces to defect and lay down their weapons.
Al-Julani recently started to sign his statements with his legal name Ahmed al-Sharaa in an apparent effort to distance himself from his past association with al-Qaeda.
The UN special envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, called for calm in the country following rapid advances by the opposition fighters.
“I reiterate my call for de-escalation, for calm, for the avoidance of bloodshed and the protection of civilians in line with international humanitarian law,” Pedersen said at the Doha Forum for political dialogue, urging “the start of a process that leads to the realisation of the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people”.
Source : Al Jazeera