By Anadolu staff
HOMS, Syria (AA) – Anti-regime armed groups in Syria on Friday began entering the suburbs of Homs city center, a strategically significant province that serves as a gateway to the capital Damascus, according to sources.
The groups, led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have captured large swathes of territory since the surprise offensive launched last week.
After gaining control of the central city of Hama on Thursday, they continued their advance in the region.
Having captured the town centers of Rastan and Talbiseh, the opposition forces pushed into the Waer neighborhood in the western part of Homs.
Clashes between Syrian regime forces and anti-regime groups first erupted on Nov. 27 in the western countryside of Aleppo.
By Nov. 30, the opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo’s city center and established dominance across Idlib province.
On Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army launched the Operation Dawn of Freedom against the PKK/YPG terror group in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terrorist elements.
*Writing by Gizem Nisa Cebi in Istanbul