Syrian rebels claim they have entered Damascus

Intense sounds of shooting were heard in the centre of the Syrian capital Damascus, residents said on Sunday as rebels marched towards the capital.

It was not immediately clear where was the source of the shooting, two residents who live in a residential area close to the centre of the capital said.

Reports of gunfire around the capital came as Islamist-led rebels announced on Sunday they had started entering the Syrian capital.

“Our forces started entering Damascus,” Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, a rebel group, said on Telegram.

Earlier, Syrian rebels announced they gained full control over the key city of Homs early on Sunday after only a day of fighting, leaving Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s 24-year rule dangling by a thread.

Further reports suggest al-Assad had left the capital to an unknown destination as the rebels advanced, although the presidential office denied this.