Why are Syrian rebels targeting Homs, forcing thousands to flee the city?

As the rebels advanced their offensive further deep into the Syrian city of Homs, thousands of people fled the region overnight. Homs is a key crossroads city linking Damascus to Assad's coastal strongholds. 

In a big blow to President Bashar al-Assad, the rebels captured the key cities of Aleppo in the north and Hama in the centre last week.  

Also read | Aleppo offensive: How Lebanon and Ukraine wars helped Syrian rebels to evade radars of Tehran and Moscow

Thousands of people began fleeing on Thursday night towards Syria's western coastal regions, a stronghold of the government, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 

The Syrian faction leading the assault aims at 'building Syria' by bringing back Syrian refugees back home from Lebanon and Europe. HTS repeatedly said that they are capable of being a substitute for Assad’s government. 

Also read | Syrian rebels advance to Hama after Aleppo offensive as Assad troops withdraw 'temporarily'

Reportedly, Hezbollah sent ‘supervising forces’ from Lebanon to Syria overnight to help prevent anti-government fighters from seizing the strategic city of Homs. 

Assad regained control of most of Syria during the civil war after the support from key allies-- Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah. However, the Israel-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine war kept them busy paving the way for the rebels to strike. 

The rebels also claimed to have taken over the towns of Talbisa and Rastan, bringing them within miles (km) of Homs. 

Wasim Marouh, a resident of Homs city who fled from his home, said most of its main commercial streets were empty and only a few grocery shops were open as pro-government militia groups were roaming the streets, reported Reuters. 

Earlier, in an online post, the rebels urged Homs residents to rise up, saying: "Your time has come."

Why capturing Homs is significant

Since Homs is a key crossroad city, seizing the region would cut off Damascus from the coast, a longtime redoubt of Assad's minority Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval base and air base. 

According to a Syrian official, the Russian military destroyed the Rustan bridge along the M5 highway, the main route to Homs, to prevent rebels from using it to advance.

Meanwhile, a week after HTS rebels seized Aleppo, life is slowly returning to normal, with the night-time curfew lifted and bread returning to bakery shelves. Internet services improved and the police were conducting patrols.