Syria govt loses control of key city Daraa

Syrian government forces have lost control of Daraa city, a war monitor said, in another stunning blow for President Bashar al-Assad's rule after rebels wrested other key cities from his grip.

"Local factions have taken control of more areas in Daraa province, including Daraa city... they now control more than 90 percent of the province, as regime forces successively pulled out," the Britain-based Observatory, which relies on a network of sources around Syria, said late Friday.

Daraa holds historical significance as the birthplace of Syria's anti-regime resistance, particularly because it was in that city that the first spark of the 2011 uprising against Bashar al-Assad's regime ignited.

Protests, initially calling for freedom and reforms, were brutally suppressed by the regime, marking the beginning of the civil war.

The movement in Daraa began March 15, 2011, when a group of students wrote on a school wall, "Hey Doctor (Bashar al-Assad), now it's your turn," which triggered widespread protests in Syria after the Arab Spring was ignited in Tunisia, Egypt and Libya.

Daraa province borders Jordan.

Despite a truce brokered by Assad ally Russia, the province has been plagued by unrest in recent years, with frequent attacks, clashes and assassinations.

Fidan-Blinken talks

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called for a "political solution to the conflict" and for the protection of civilians and minorities, his spokesperson said Friday, in a call with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

Fidan underlined Friday that the chaos in Syria should not be allowed to benefit terror organizations such as PKK and ISIL.

Emphasizing the importance of not repeating past mistakes, Fidan...