The Syrian government, faced with the rapid advance of Turkey-backed rebels who have announced they want to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad, lost control of a new town south of Damascus on Friday to local factions, according to a NGOs.
After Russia, the United States called on its nationals to evacuate.
After taking Aleppo, the large northern city, and Hama, in the center, in less than a week, the rebels are at the gates of Homs, 150 kilometers north of the capital, the most spectacular advance in 13 years of war.
Coalition fighters led by the radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized dozens of key localities and towns during a dazzling offensive to which Turkey provided its support.
South of the capital, near the Jordanian border, government troops also lost control of the city of Deraa, cradle of the 2011 uprising, to local forces on Friday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. (OSDH).
“Local factions have taken control of more areas in Daraa province, including Daraa city. They now control more than 90% of the province, while the regime forces have withdrawn”specified this NGO.
Meeting in Baghdad on Friday, the foreign ministers of Iraq, Iran and Syria warned against “general danger for the stability of the entire region” what the conflict in Syria represents.
On Saturday, the heads of Turkish, Russian and Iranian diplomacy are due to meet in Doha for another meeting dedicated to this crisis.
The three countries have been partners since 2017 in the Astana process initiated to silence the guns in Syria but have supported rival camps in the country.
17 dead in Gaza
Civil Defense in the Gaza Strip announced Friday evening the death of 17 people killed in an Israeli strike on a house in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nuseirat, in the center of the small territory at war.
The strike, which occurred after dark in the early evening, left 17 dead and at least 39 injured, said Mahmoud Bassal, spokesperson for these emergency services.
“The strike damaged several neighboring houses”indicated Mr. Bassal, according to whom the rescue operations have not been completed.
According to a medical source at Al-Awda hospital, located inside the camp, 14 bodies, including several torn to pieces, were admitted to the morgue, including those of“at least three children and two women”.
Questioned about this strike by AFP, the Israeli army did not respond.
IDF on several fronts
For two months, Israel has concentrated its military operations in the north of the Gaza Strip. The spokesperson for the Israeli government, David Mencer, spoke on Friday during a press briefing of ongoing operations in several areas where “ Hamas and Islamic Jihad (another Palestinian armed group) are trying to regroup”.
The Israeli army also indicated on Friday that it was reinforcing its troops in the occupied Syrian Golan as a dazzling rebel offensive led by extremist Islamists in Syria aims to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad.
“The army says it is monitoring developments in the situation”, “ready to face all scenarios, whether offensive or defensive”she said in a press release, adding that she would not tolerate “no threat”.
40 people killed in a camp
Israeli strikes killed at least 39 people in the Gaza Strip overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, including at least 20 people in a refugee camp, medical sources said.
In the Mawassi camp, west of Khan Younès, where tens of thousands of people have found refuge, a death toll of 20 was announced, including women and children.
Israel said the strike targeted senior Hamas officials, who were not identified.
In Beit Lahiya, in the north of the enclave, the director of the Kamal Adouane hospital, Houssam Abou Safiya, announced the death of a 16-year-old teenager who was using a wheelchair. Several people, including doctors, he added, were injured by Israeli drone fire on the hospital. Israel has not commented on these comments.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, the last three hospitals which are still barely functioning, on the northern edge of the Gaza Strip, have suffered repeated attacks since October.
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