Syrian insurgents close in on Homs as advance towards Damascus continues

Opposition forces enter key towns north of Syria's third largest city after taking control of Hama

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Syrian insurgents have entered towns north of the country's third largest city, Homs, sweeping along a highway that eventually leads to the capital, Damascus, in a lightning-fast advance that has shaken the Middle East.

Militants spearheaded by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) took control of the city of Hama on Thursday before moving south, swiftly capturing two key towns on the road south of the city before arriving in Al-Dar al-Kabera, a town five miles from the centre of Homs.