Jolani believes the Assad regime’s collapse is imminent. “The seeds of its defeat have always been there. Foreign powers like Iran and Russia tried to prop it up, but the regime is effectively dead,” he said.
The Assad regime has not commented on the rapid rebel advances. Internet blackouts in Homs and the surrounding areas have made it difficult to verify reports from the city.
The offensive has reawakened Syria’s civil war, which began in 2011 during the Arab Spring protests. Initially peaceful demonstrations demanding democratic reforms were met with violent crackdowns by the regime, spiraling into a protracted conflict involving multiple foreign powers.
Over a decade of war has left more than 300,000 civilians dead and displaced millions across the region, according to the United Nations.
As the rebels push southward, the future of the Assad regime and the Syrian people hangs in uncertainty. For many fleeing Homs, survival remains the only priority.