May 19, 2013
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Description
The Siege of Homs is a series of military operations being conducted by the Syrian military in the city of Homs as a part of the Syrian civil war. Homs is the third most populated city of Syria, located 100 km north of Damascus and sometimes called the "Capital of the Revolution" by the opposition. The fighting initially started as a crackdown against anti-government protesters, some of whom were armed and fired on security forces. The situation evolved into prolonged street fighting between the security forces and the newly formed Free Syrian Army which gained ground and the control of several quarters of the city.
In late December 2011, an Arab mission was sent to monitor the situation following the Arab League plan. Following the abortive mission, the Syrian Army in February 2012 launched an offensive against the district of Baba Amr, shelling the entire district and blocking all supply routes, which forced all civilians and FSA to evacuate by early March.
By early May 2012, following a U.N. brokered cease-fire, only sporadic street fighting and shelling occurred. During this time, the government was in control of most of the city. The opposition held little less than a fifth of Homs while fighting for control of a similar-sized area was still ongoing. By early October 2012, 75% of the city was under the control of the Syrian Army.
(via Freebase)
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