Syrian rebels continue advance, enter two more cities

Syrian rebels entered two more towns on Friday, north of the city of Homs, closing in on Syria's third-largest city, according to an opposition-linked human rights group and pro-government media.

The entry into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition forces took control of Hama, Syria's fourth-largest city. The Syrian army said it withdrew to avoid fighting inside the city and to avoid endangering civilian lives.

The rebels, led by the jihadist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, have said they will march on Homs and the capital Damascus, where President Bashar Assad's government is based.

The city of Homs, parts of which were controlled by rebels until 2014, is an important crossroads between Damascus and Syria's coastal regions of Latakia and Tartus, where Mr. Assad enjoys widespread support.

Homs is Syria's largest province and borders Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan. Rebels are now 5 kilometers (3 miles) from Homs, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group that monitors the opposition's war.

"The battle of Homs is the most important and will determine who will rule Syria," said Rami Abdurrahman, the group's chief.

Pro-government media outlet Sham FM said rebels entered Rastan and Talbiseh without encountering resistance. The Syrian army has not yet confirmed whether it has withdrawn from the towns.

State news agency SANA quoted an unidentified military official as saying on Friday that Syrian and Russian air forces were attacking rebels in Hama province, killing dozens of fighters.

After the fall of Hama, opposition activists said thousands of Homs residents loyal to President Assad were seen heading towards Damascus and the coastal region.

Syria's defense minister said in a televised statement late Thursday that the withdrawal of government forces from Hama was a tactical measure and pledged to recapture lost areas.

General Ali Mahmoud Abbas said the insurgents, whom he described as Muslim extremists, are supported by foreign countries. He did not name the countries, but appeared to be referring to Turkey, which is a major supporter of the opposition, as well as the United States.

"We are in a good position on the ground," General Abbas said, adding that the Syrian army's withdrawal from Hama on Thursday was "a temporary tactical measure and our forces are at the entrance to Hamas." His comments came before the rebels marched south of Hama, approaching Homs.

The offensive is being led by HTS and a Turkish-backed coalition of Syrian militias called the Syrian National Army. Their surprise takeover of the northern city of Aleppo, a historic business hub, was a major victory for President Assad's opponents and reignited a conflict that had largely died down in recent years./ VOA