Insurgents say encircling Damascus as government denies falling back

Beirut: Insurgents on a lightning advance through Syria said on Saturday they have begun to encircle Damascus as government forces denied they had withdrawn from areas near the capital.

"Our forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus," said former Al Qaeda commander Hassan Abdel Ghani who is now with the a new alliance that launched the offensive.

The defence ministry flatly denied the army had fled positions near the city.

"There is no truth to news claiming our armed forces, present in all areas of the Damascus countryside, have withdrawn," it said.

Meanwhile in Tehran Iran's Foreign Ministry dismissed reports of the evacuation of the Islamic Republic's Embassy staff in Syria following the resurgence of militant groups opposing the Syrian government.

A foreign office spokesman announced on Saturday that Western media reports about the evacuation of the Iranian Embassy in the Syrian capital were false and the diplomatic mission was continuing with its activities.

He said on the contrary, top Iranian advisor, Ali Larijani, has arrived in Damascus and met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to convey Tehran's support for the Syrian government.

In a report on Friday, The New York Times claimed that Iran had begun evacuating its diplomatic staff and their families amid heightened escalation in Syria, where government forces are repelling violent attacks by anti-Damascus militants.

"Some are leaving by plane to Tehran, while others are leaving via land routes to Lebanon, Iraq and the Syrian port of Latakia," the American daily newspaper claimed.

Earlier in the day, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Israeli regime and its allied anti-Syria militant groups seek to turn Syria into a center of "terrorism and threat" against the whole West Asia region.

Araghchi, however, asserted that Iran had always provided support for the Syrian government and nation, adding, "We will continue this support on the basis of what Damascus asks from us."

Syria has been gripped by finsurgency since March 2011, with Damascus saying the Western states and their regional allies are aiding terrorist groups to wreak havoc in the Arab country.

The Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham militant group launched a large-scale attack in Aleppo and Idlib provinces in the northwest of Syria on November 27, seizing several areas. Since then, the Syrian government forces have been engaged in fierce clashes to regain ground.

Meanwhile a commander from the Free Syrian Army (FSA) militant group has reportedly expressed hope for friendly relations with Israel, urging the occupying regime to extend both political and military support for their war against the Syrian government.

The Times of Israel on Saturday quoted an unnamed FSA commander as stressing the need for a clear political stance from the Israeli regime.

"We have enough fighters on the ground. What we need from Israel is a clear political stance against the Assad regime," he stated.

The commander also called for increased aerial support from the Israel, suggesting that the they should attack the forces in Syria "wherever it sees them."

"We are trying to block them on the roads and ambush them, but Israel should also take action from the air," said the commander.

Highlighting the potential for friendship, he noted that the armed group is open to alliances "with everyone in the region - including Israel." 

He also referenced recent Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, stating that they have significantly aided the militant group in its advancements on Syrian soil.

"We are thankful to Israel for its strikes against Hezbollah," he said, adding, "We hope that after the fall of Assad, Israel will plant a rose in the Syrian garden and will support the Syrian people."

Asked about the future of Syria, the militant commander affirmed, "We will go for full peace with Israel, we will live side by side as neighbors," insisting that the group has never made "any critical comments about Israel."

His comments come as militants, having suffered setbacks due to years of retaliatory operations by the Syrian military and its allies, are attempting to regroup in northern Syria. 

There are growing reports of substantial Western and Israeli support for anti-Damascus factions, including those affiliated with Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham.