DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian government forces captured a historic mosque in the central city of Homs on Saturday, expelling rebel forces who had been in control of the 13th-century landmark for more than a year.
State-run news agency SANA quoted an unnamed military official as saying troops took control of the Khalid Ibn al-Walid Mosque in the disputed northern neighborhood of Khaldiyeh.
Syrian TV aired a report Saturday night with footage from inside the mosque, showing heavy damage and the tomb’s dome knocked out. The footage showed debris strewn on the floor, and a portion of the mosque appeared to have been burned.
The mosque, famous for its nine domes and two minarets, has been a symbol for rebels in the city that is known as “the capital of the revolution.”
The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported heavy fighting around the mosque, saying the government troops are backed by members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group. The Associated Press
