
A rapidly advancing opposition offensive has shaken Syria to its core, with fighters reaching the outskirts of the capital, Damascus, and key government-held cities falling to insurgents. In a reversal, President Bashar al-Assad has fled the country as his forces abandon territory with little resistance, marking a pivotal shift in the 13-year civil war. For the first time since 2018, opposition groups have breached the defenses of Damascus, signaling the growing strength of rebel factions determined to overthrow the Assad regime . The question now looms: Who are these fighters, and what comes next if they succeed in toppling Assad’s government? The Opposition’s surge The offensive, which began on November 27, is led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), Syria’s most powerful insurgent group, alongside the Syrian National Army (SNA), an umbrella group of Turkish-backed militias. HTS, which originated as a faction of al-Qaeda, has spent recent years distancing itself from terrorist ties, seeking to position itself as a force for civilian governance as well as military action in opposition-controlled territories. HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani spoke to CNN, confirming the group's aim: "We are here to overthrow the Assad government," a clear declaration of intent for the offensive that has already seen the capture of key cities like Aleppo, Syria's largest, and Hama, the fourth largest. 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The SNA has its own regional objectives, including establishing a buffer zone along the Turkish border to counter Kurdish militants—a major concern for Turkey, which has supported the opposition but now advocates for a reconciliation process. "It’s unclear whether these groups will unite in the aftermath of Assad's fall or turn on each other," said an analyst familiar with the region’s dynamics. Although the northern regions have seen the brunt of the fighting, opposition groups have also made significant inroads in southern Syria. The Druze-majority region of Sweida and the flashpoint city of Daraa, a key site of the 2011 uprising, have both fallen into the hands of opposition forces. Daraa, which had been under a fragile ceasefire brokered by Russia, saw renewed clashes after rebels seized control of several districts. Meanwhile, in the east, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the United States, continue to hold significant territory, adding another layer of complexity to the already fractured battlefield. With Assad’s forces now in control of only three provincial capitals—Damascus, Latakia, and Tartus—his grip on the country is rapidly shrinking. The road to Damascus The insurgents are now in what they call the "final stage" of their offensive, with opposition forces reportedly encircling Damascus. According to a commander with the insurgents, "We are in the final phase of liberating Damascus." On Saturday, Syrian government troops also withdrew from the central city of Homs, a strategic location that has long served as a vital link between Damascus and the coastal region where Assad retains loyal support. If Homs falls to the opposition, it would sever the connection between the capital and the coastal strongholds, potentially signaling the collapse of the Assad regime. Anas Joudeh, a Damascus resident, warned, "If Homs falls and the link to the coast is broken, it will be the end of Syria as we once knew it." As the situation grows more dire for Assad, his international allies, Russia and Iran, are distracted by other regional conflicts. Hezbollah, once a steadfast supporter of Assad, has been weakened by its ongoing involvement in the Israel-Hezbollah war, now under a fragile ceasefire. The international community is bracing for the potential fallout. The United Nations’ special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, has called for urgent talks to ensure an "orderly political transition" as the situation continues to evolve rapidly. Pedersen met with diplomats from eight key nations, including Saudi Arabia, Russia, Turkey, and Iran, on the sidelines of the recent Doha Summit. Pedersen stressed that the situation is "changing by the minute," and that swift diplomatic action is necessary to prevent further escalation and ensure stability in the region. (With inputs from the Associated Press) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )Georgia loses QB Carson Beck (arm) during SEC title game
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Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa are not available for the San Francisco 49ers when they enter Green Bay with designs on finding their finishing kick on Sunday afternoon. Purdy is out with a right shoulder injury and won't leave the sideline at Lambeau Field, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Friday, when he also declared Bosa out and confirmed journeyman Brandon Allen would make his 10th career start at quarterback. "Outside of here people haven't seen a lot of Brandon. But it's his second year (with the 49ers)," Shanahan said. "Obviously guys want Brock up, but guys are excited to see Brandon play." Shanahan said the 49ers are "a little surprised" Purdy experienced tightness and discomfort in his shoulder after an MRI exam on Monday that showed no long-term cause for concern. "The way it responded this week, it's really up in the air for next week," Shanahan said of Purdy's long-term prognosis. Allen's last NFL start on the road was with the Bengals at the Ravens in 2020. Allen completed 6 of 21 passes for 48 yards with two interceptions. He finished with a passer rating of 0.0 in a 38--3 loss. "It's definitely an opportunity for me to go out and play well and put our guys in a good position to win the game," Allen said Friday. "And obviously we want Brock back and healthy and all that, but for time being, it is an opportunity for me." Purdy took the practice field Thursday with the intent to participate. His shoulder tightened significantly, and the 49ers ushered him off the field to meet with trainers. Purdy beat the Packers in the NFC divisional playoffs at San Francisco in January, but Allen is familiar to Packers head coach Matt LaFleur. LaFleur was an assistant coach with the Rams during Allen's two-year run in Los Angeles. Allen broke into the NFL in 2016 with the Jaguars and is 2-7 in nine career starts. He went 1-2 with the Broncos in 2019 and 1-5 in six starts over two years with the Bengals in 2020 and ‘21. A victory against the visiting 49ers on Sunday would bolster the Packers' playoff chances, send a conference rival below .500 and avenge a bitter playoff defeat. Those seemingly rank in no particular order for the Packers (8-3), although they don't shy from living at least partially in the past ahead of a Week 12 showdown. San Francisco eliminated Green Bay 24-21 in the NFC divisional playoffs last season, scoring 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. "That's what you've got to sit with all offseason, is going back, watching the game, trying to see what you could have done better," Packers quarterback Jordan Love said. "What you could have done differently in that game. ... Just knowing that's the team that knocked us out, we're definitely hungry for this game." Ditto for San Francisco. The 49ers fell to 5-5 after last week's 20-17 home loss to Seattle, done in by Geno Smith's 13-yard touchdown run with 12 seconds to play. Still only a game behind NFC West-leading Arizona, the reigning conference champion 49ers are just 1-3 in division play and can ill afford to lose more ground. A visit to AFC East leader Buffalo awaits after the trip to Green Bay. While they're dealing with plenty of not-so-good news on the injury front, the 49ers do anticipate the return of other contributors. Cornerback Charvarius Ward, who missed the past two games following the death of his 1-year-old daughter, practiced Wednesday. Tight end George Kittle also is eager to play after a nagging hamstring injury sidelined him against the Seahawks. "Very excited," Kittle said. "Can't pass up playing the Packers, so no, I will be out there for sure." Allen was a three-year starter at Arkansas but has been a journeyman backup since entering the NFL in 2016 as the 201st overall pick of the Jaguars. Shanahan and LaFleur have been fierce competitors since twice working together, first as low-level assistants with the Texans in 2008, then on the so-called "dream team" staff in Washington that also included Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel and Raheem Morris; and two seasons with the Falcons (2015, 2016) where LaFleur was quarterbacks coach and Shanahan called the plays. Shanahan scored the most recent win over LaFleur in January. Green Bay has won seven of the past eight regular-season meetings between the franchises. But the familiarity and shared-brain approach to offense that has the coaches completed each other's play calls has led to some tight games. The past three at Lambeau Field were all decided by three points. Green Bay, which hosts a home game on Thanksgiving next Thursday, is starting a run of three games in 12 days. They'll play back-to-back Thursday games. Their Week 14 game is at Detroit. That might make it good news for LaFleur that surprising contributors have emerged of late. Packers wideout Christian Watson had a career-best 150 receiving yards on only four catches during last week's 20-19 road win against the Chicago Bears. His diving 60-yard reception in the fourth quarter put the Packers in position for Love's go-ahead, 1-yard scoring run with 2:59 to play. Watson entered the game with eight catches for 83 yards over his previous three contests, but LaFleur assured Watson remains a "big part" of the attack. "He's a guy who's got every measurable known to man in terms of the size, the speed, and it's not like those were easy plays he was making," LaFleur said. "He was making tough, contested catches." San Francisco will aim to generate more pressure against Love than the Bears, who sacked him just once. The 49ers collected four sacks against the Seahawks, with Bosa and Leonard Floyd contributing 1.5 apiece. Recent regular-season history between the Packers and 49ers at Lambeau Field has favored Green Bay. The Packers have won seven of their past eight home games against the 49ers and are 22-11 versus San Francisco at home all-time. Green Bay leads the series 34-28-1. --Field Level MediaMojave Brands Inc. Announces Public OfferingFootball Market Innovations and Key Players: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Ligue 1, UEFA, FC Barcelona, Major League Soccer (MLS), Real Madrid CF, Arsenal FC, Chelsea FC