Rebels reach near capital Damascus, Assad’s power in danger; Understand the whole matter in 10 points

Syria’s rapidly advancing rebels claimed to be very close to the capital, Damascus, on Saturday, with rebels claiming to have surrounded the city. However, the Bashar al-Assad government clearly denied that the army had withdrawn from the areas around the city.

Understand 10 important things in simple words

1. Hassan Abdel Ghani, a rebel commander with the Islamic-led coalition, said, “Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital,” news agency AFP reported.
2. The leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist group that led the attack, told fighters to prepare to take the seat of Assad’s government,
3. “Damascus is waiting for you,” HTS’s Ahmed al-Shara said in a statement on Telegram, using his real name rather than his alias Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.
4. The Syrian Defense Ministry said army forces were “present in all areas of the Damascus countryside”. “There is no truth in the news that our armed forces have retreated from positions near Damascus,” it said. Syria’s president denied reports that Assad had left Damascus, saying he was “carrying out his work and national and constitutional duties from the capital”.
5. HTS has its roots in the Syrian branch of al-Qaeda. Banned as a terrorist organization by Western governments, it has tried to tone down its image in recent years. As Islamic rebels capture more territory, they are now trying to reassure minority groups living in areas under their control. “We want all sects to be reassured… because the era of sectarianism and oppression is over forever,” Abdel Ghani said.
6. At least 826 people have been killed since the offensive began last week, mostly fighters but also 111 civilians. The United Nations said that 3.7 lakh people have been displaced due to the violence.
7. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Syria must not be allowed to fall into the hands of “terrorist” rebels fighting the forces of Moscow ally President Bashar al-Assad. Speaking at an event in Qatar, Mr Lavrov cited a 2015 UN resolution calling for a political settlement in Syria, saying the terrorist group was “not allowed to take control of the land in violation of existing agreements, starting with UN Security Council Resolution 2254.” “It is unacceptable to allow any such conflict, which strongly reiterates the sovereignty, territorial integrity and unity of the Syrian Arab Republic.”
8. A spokesman for US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Friday that he called for a “political solution to the conflict.”
9. However, US President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that America “should not get involved” in the situation in Syria. “The situation in Syria is bad, but it is not our friend,” Trump said on his Truth social platform, adding that America should have nothing to do with it. This is not our fight.
10. There has been no public indication that the Biden administration is considering such intervention. Trump has long adopted an isolationist approach, and during this year’s presidential campaign he frequently said he could end the Ukraine and Gaza wars “quickly.”