Syrian militants claim they have seized Damascus

DAMASCUS, Dec. 08 (YPA) – Militants have said that they had taken control over the Syrian capital, Damascus, and had been instructed to stay away from government institutions, Reuters reported on Sunday morning.

The agency confirmed, citing two sources from the armed groups, that they had entered the Syrian capital, noting that there were “no signs of Syrian army deployment.”

Additionally, Reuters reported from senior Syrian officials that “President Bashar al-Assad has left Damascus for an unknown destination.”

For his part, Syrian Prime Minister Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali has declared his readiness to cooperate with any government that Syrians choose.

This came in a statement he made this morning.

State institutions belonging to all Syrians should be preserved, he said, and all Syrians should think rationally about the interests of their country.

“We extend our hand even to the oppositionists, who have confirmed that they do not intend to harm anyone,” the prime minister said.

This statement came after a field source from the forces stationed on the fronts of the city of Homs confirmed to Al-Mayadeen that the Syrian army had withdrawn from the entire front line, without any attacks on its positions by the militants. The source described the situation as “a peaceful handover of the front.”

Local sources from Homs also confirmed that the militants had entered all neighborhoods of the city, and no clashes were heard.

@E.Y.M