Egyptian and Jordanian officials have proposed that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leave the republic and form a temporary council that includes opposition representatives.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Assad remained in Syria the day before. Qatar , the UAE and other Arab countries are increasingly concerned about the likely imminent fall of the Syrian government and possible destabilization in the region. The Syrian president had asked Turkey , Egypt, the UAE, Jordan and Iraq for support , but had been refused.
Homs remains the last major city under Syrian government control, on the road between Damascus and rebel-held territory. The loss of Homs would cut off the government’s access to the Mediterranean coast, where Assad’s loyalist Alawite minority is concentrated.
Syrian rebels and militants launched a large-scale offensive in the northwestern province of Idlib, which is not under government control , on the morning of November 27. On December 6, Syrian troops left Deir ez-Zur, the capital of the region of the same name in the east of the country. The city came under the control of Kurdish forces, who had previously occupied only part of the province.
Russian military personnel in Syria are participating in repelling the militants’ offensive, striking their positions and supply lines.
Earlier, the Russian embassy in Syria called on Russians to leave the country.
