The Syrian rebels announced the total capture of the city of Homs, located about 160 kilometers north of Damascus, according to statements known during the early hours of this Sunday, a version denied by the Syrian Army, through the state agency SANA, which ensures that the situation is “safe and stable.”
“The situation is safe and stable, and our armed forces are deployed around the city and are positioned in fortified defensive lines and reinforced with various types of weapons,” says Army information released by the official Syrian agency.
However, the Al Jazeera network reports celebrations in the streets of Homs, where hundreds of people gathered at the emblematic “clock roundabout” in the center of the city, demanding the fall of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad.
This place, loaded with symbolism, was the scene of a massacre in April 2011, at the beginning of the conflict, when at least 18 protesters were shot dead by security forces.
Homs, considered an opposition stronghold in the early years of the civil war that broke out in 2011, has seen intermittent fighting throughout the conflict.. If the capture of the city by the rebels is confirmed, it would be a significant blow to the regime in Damascus.
The situation remains confusing, with conflicting reports from both sides as the international community watches developments closely.
