Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdul Ghany said the insurgents have "fully liberated" Syria's central city of Homs on Saturday, in what could prove to be a crippling blow to President Bashar al-Assad.
The announcement came shortly after the leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) rebel group, Abu Mohammed al Golani, said in a video message that "We are living the final moments of liberating Homs." The city stands at a vital intersection between Damascus and Syria's coastal provinces of Latakia and Tartus, where Assad enjoys wide support. HTS also said it had freed more than 3,500 prisoners from the city's military prison.
Syrian government forces withdrew from the key city earlier today, according to reports from multiple media outlets.
