Media: Calls for Assad to leave Syria grow as rebels capture key cities

Syrian rebels have seized control of multiple cities in a rapid offensive, bringing the country’s civil war to a new, critical phase and placing President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in jeopardy.

After the fall of Hama on December 5, following last week’s capture of Aleppo, Assad’s forces have been forced to retreat, further exposing the regime's fragility. As rebel forces close in on the strategically vital city of Homs, which remains the last major government-held city on the route to Damascus, there are increasing calls for Assad to step down, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

"From here, we address the final call to the regime forces: this is your opportunity to defect," said Hassan Abdul-Ghani, a rebel commander, as his forces reached the outskirts of Homs. The city's capture would sever the regime's connection to its coastal strongholds and its Russian military bases on the Mediterranean, with analysts suggesting that Assad's survival hinges on maintaining control of Homs.

“If Homs falls, I don’t see how the regime can survive,” warned Jerome Drevon, a senior analyst at the International Crisis Group, highlighting the city’s importance in the broader conflict. The fall of Homs would also cut Assad off from the support of his loyalist base, particularly the Alawite community, to which he belongs.

Arab states have increasingly called for Assad's departure. Egyptian and Jordanian officials are reportedly urging him to leave and allow the formation of an interim council that includes opposition factions. While Jordan's US Embassy denied the claims, the pressure on Assad is mounting. Rebel forces have also claimed the capture of Daraa, the birthplace of the 2011 uprising, and say they have liberated detainees from Sweida Central Prison.

As the situation intensifies, Assad’s response has been tepid. His wife and children were reported to have travelled to Russia, while his brothers-in-law are in the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, Syria's once-staunch supporters, Russia and Iran, are facing mounting questions about their ability to sustain Assad's regime amid their involvement in other conflicts.

"If neither Iran nor Hezbollah can prevent that, it shows that their hand is very weak," said Drevon, referring to the potential loss of Homs, a critical lifeline for Hezbollah and Iran’s strategic interests in the region. With defections from the military increasing and rebel forces advancing, the question of Assad's departure is becoming more urgent. "This regime is dead," said HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jawlani, signalling the imminent end of Assad's rule.

By Vugar Khalilov