Syrian army takes full control of Homs

The Syrian army has completely taken control of the city of Homs, after five years of fierce fighting, writes Reuters, reports Patria.

The third largest city in Syria after Damascus and Aleppo is now completely in the hands of forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Al Assad.

-The Syrian government has completely taken control of the third largest city in Syria, Homs, where there are no longer any members of the armed opposition, for the first time in more than five years - said the governor of Homs province, Talal Barazi.

Barazi told the Lebanese television Al Manar that state institutions will immediately establish control over parts of the city that were previously under rebel control.

In 2013, the Syrian army regained control of most of Homs, but the Al Waer district remained in the hands of the opposition, and fierce fighting had been taking place since then.

All opposition members and their families, in an agreement with the Syrian government, left Homs in the last two days and went to northern parts of Syria that are under opposition control.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in London, announced that almost 20,000 people left Homs in the last few days.