Anti-regime forces in Syria entering centre of Damascus

Anti-regime forces in Syria are entering the centre of Damascus on Sunday which has been lost by the Assad regime, Anadolu news agency reported.

Protesters rose against the regime late Saturday in neighbourhoods, while regime forces pulled out from critical sites such as the Defense Ministry, Interior Ministry and the international airport.

With the entry of protesters into crucial areas, the regime had lost most of its control over the capital.

Prisoners in the Sednaya Prison in Damascus, known for its association with the regime and notorious torture practices, were freed by demonstrators who stormed the facility.

Clashes between the Syrian regime forces and anti-regime groups first erupted on 27 November in the western countryside of Aleppo.

By 30 November, the anti-regime forces had taken control of most of Aleppo city centre and established dominance across Idlib province.

Following intense clashes Thursday, groups took control of the Hama city centre from regime forces.

Anti-regime groups seized several settlements in the strategically important Homs province and began to advance.

On Friday, Syrian opposition groups took control of Daraa in southern Syria near the Jordanian border.

Earlier Saturday, they seized control of Suwayda province in the south and local opposition forces in Quneitra gained control of the provincial capital.

READ: Syria’s 61-year Baath regime collapses