DAMASCUS, Syria -- Syrian government forces captured a historic mosque in the central city of Homs on Saturday, expelling rebels who had been in control of the 13th century landmark for more than a year.
State-run news agency SANA quoted a military official as saying that troops took control of the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Mosque in the heavily disputed northern neighborhood of Khaldiyeh.
Syrian TV aired a report Saturday night with footage from inside the mosque, showing heavy damage and the tomb's dome knocked out.
The footage showed debris strewn on the floor and a portion of the mosque appeared to have been burned.
The mosque, famous for its nine domes and two minarets, has been a symbol for rebels in the city that is known as "the capital of the revolution." On Monday, government troops shelled the mosque, damaging the tomb of Ibn al-Walid, a revered figure in Islam.
A Homs-based activist who identified himself only by his nickname, Abu Bilal, said regime forces now control more than 60 percent of Khaldiyeh. He said events were moving "very fast."
On top of its symbolic value, Homs is also a geographic lynchpin in Syria.
The main highway from Damascus to the north as well as the coastal region, which is a stronghold of President Bashar Assad's Alawite sect, runs through Homs.
Both rebels and the regime place a high strategic value on the city.
Rise of the Guardians Pumpkin Pie Jack Taylor Apple Pie Recipe black friday How long to cook a turkey green bean casserole
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন