U.S. President-elect Donald Trump stated on Saturday that the United States should not interfere in the ongoing conflict in Syria, where opposition forces are challenging the government of Bashar al-Assad.
Trump remarked that Russia, an ally of Assad, is preoccupied with its war in Ukraine and, as a result, “seems unable to halt this ongoing march across Syria, the country it has protected for years.”
He added that if Russia were forced to exit Syria, it might be “the best thing that could happen to them,” claiming, “Russia hasn’t gained much from being in Syria.”
Syrian Opposition Advances Toward Damascus
Meanwhile, Syrian opposition factions have made rapid advances into the southern suburbs of Damascus as part of the military operations that began just days ago, causing a significant collapse in Syrian regime forces.
Eyewitnesses and residents reported that protesters in Jaramana, a district south of Damascus, tore down a statue of former president Hafez al-Assad in one of the city’s main squares. Similar incidents were reported in other regions, including Hama and Daraa, where statues of Hafez al-Assad were also destroyed.
Opposition Gains Control of Strategic Regions
In a major development, Syrian opposition forces have captured the city of Quneitra, located in the southwest of the country near the border with Israeli-occupied territories. According to local sources, the opposition secured control over Quneitra after fierce clashes with regime forces on Saturday morning.
Following their defeat in Quneitra, Assad’s forces retreated toward Damascus. The city of Quneitra lies approximately 60 kilometers from the Syrian capital.
Additionally, opposition forces have taken full control of Suwayda Province in southern Syria. The Druze-majority region fell into opposition hands following intense clashes with Syrian regime forces. Earlier on Saturday, opposition factions had already seized the provincial capital, Suwayda City.
On Friday, local armed factions in Suwayda issued a 24-hour ultimatum for regime forces to withdraw from the province, paving the way for the opposition’s swift takeover.
