Syria rebels strategically advance on cities

Syrian regime forces were evacuating their positions in and around the east-central city of Deir Ezzor, which sits on the Euphrates River, according to a Friday report from the U.K.-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In Syria’s northwestern corner, other opposition forces were advancing on the city of Homs, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War reported on Thursday.

The American Enterprise Institute’s Critical Threats project on Thursday also reported that forces of Syria’s Assad regime were retreating from the city of Hama toward Homs and were destroying bridges behind them as they did so. The retreat was likely not in good order despite regime forces suffering few casualties, Critical Threats said. Homs is of strategic importance, connecting the capital of Damascus with the country’s northern and coastal areas, which strongly support the Assad regime.

Has the U.S. or any other country commented on these events? The U.S. State Department on Thursday said it was urging its partners and allies to protect civilians and minority groups. Spokesman Vedant Patel said the department had no public updates or assessments of specific battles in Syria. U.S. Central Command on Tuesday said that America’s strategic objective remained the same in Syria. That goal is the enduring defeat of the Islamic State group, Central Command said.

Dig deeper: Read my report in The Sift about how Turkey and other NATO countries have been calling for peace in Syria following the increased violence.