Syrian insurgents have reached the suburbs of Damascus as part of a rapidly moving offensive towards the capital. In recent days, the groups have taken over several of Syria’s largest cities across the country.
Meanwhile, Syria’s state news agency has denied rumours that President Bashar al-Assad has left the country, and says he is at work in Damascus.
It was the first time that opposition forces have reached the outskirts of the Syrian capital since 2018, when Syrian troops recaptured the region adjacent to the capital following a yearslong siege.
It came after the Syrian army withdrew from much of southern Syria on Saturday, leaving more areas of the country, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters.
The rapid advances by insurgents is a stunning reversal of fortunes for the Syrian president, who appears to be on his own as allies such as Russia and Hezbollah are preoccupied with other conflicts.
This story is developing and will be updated by our journalists
