Armed groups enter southern suburbs of Damascus

By Anadolu staff

DAMASCUS (AA) – Armed groups opposed to Bashar al-Assad's regime began entering Damascus' southern suburbs on Saturday.

The armed groups advanced toward central Damascus after capturing the provincial center of Quneitra in the country's southwest, local sources said.

Fighting regime forces, the groups entered the Darayya suburb south of the capital.

Renewed fighting between regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out on Nov. 27 in rural areas west of Aleppo.

By Nov. 30, opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across the Idlib province.

Following intense clashes, groups took control of the Hama city center from regime forces on Dec. 5.

Anti-regime groups also seized several settlements in the strategically important Homs province, which leads to Damascus, and began to advance.

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

Earlier on Saturday, they seized total control of the Suwayda province in southern Syria. On the same day, local opposition forces in Quneitra gained control of the provincial capital.

On Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the terrorist group PKK/YPG in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terror elements.