Southern Syria's Suwayda city center falls under opposition control: Local sources

In another setback for the Assad regime, the center of southern Syria's Suwayda province has come under the control of the Syrian opposition, local sources said on Saturday.

Local armed groups in Suwayda, where most of the population follows the Druze faith, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to regime forces on Friday to leave the area and prevent bloodshed.

According to local sources, representatives from local armed groups met with regime officials and demanded that regime forces withdraw from the province.

While emphasizing their desire to avoid armed conflict, the groups set a 24-hour deadline for regime forces to comply.

The local armed groups reportedly have no direct ties to other opposition factions.

Suwayda has seen ongoing anti-regime protests for over a year, with many demonstrators waving the opposition's "revolution flag."

- Developments in Syria

Renewed fighting between regime forces and anti-regime groups broke out Nov. 27 in rural areas west of the major city of Aleppo.

By Nov. 30, opposition forces had taken control of most of Aleppo's city center and established dominance across the Idlib province.

On Dec. 1, the opposition Syrian National Army launched Operation Dawn of Freedom against the terrorist group PKK/YPG in the Tel Rifaat district of Aleppo's countryside, liberating the area from terror elements.

Anti-regime forces captured Hama on Thursday and continued to advance Friday, seizing the Rastan and Talbiseh districts in the Homs province.