Western officials have suggested Syrian president Bashar al Assad’s rule could end within a week.
US and other Western officials made the prediction as rebels looking to overthrow the Assad regime saw huge progress today, claiming control of Syria’s third biggest city Homs while advancing closer to the capital of Damascus with minimal pushback.
The comments were made to Reuters on condition of anonymity.
The US official put the timeframe at five to 10 days while another said Assad could be ousted in the coming week. A Western official agreed with the latter assessment.
The government now has control of only three of 14 provincial capitals: Damascus, Latakia and Tartus.
Homs is a particularly significant loss, as it’s a crossroads between the capital and the Mediterranean, meaning its loss effectively cuts off Damascus from the coastal stronghold of Assad’s minority Alawite sect, and from Russia’s air and naval base.
