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| While Praising Troops, Assad Promises Victory | While Praising Troops, Assad Promises Victory |
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| BEIRUT, Lebanon — President Bashar al-Assad of Syria lauded his troops and vowed that they would be victorious during a visit to a heavily damaged Damascus suburb on Thursday, while antigovernment activists said a rebel attack detonated a weapons depot in the city of Homs, killings dozens of people. | BEIRUT, Lebanon — President Bashar al-Assad of Syria lauded his troops and vowed that they would be victorious during a visit to a heavily damaged Damascus suburb on Thursday, while antigovernment activists said a rebel attack detonated a weapons depot in the city of Homs, killings dozens of people. |
| Mr. Assad’s visit to the city of Daraya, once an insurgent stronghold that his forces have largely retaken, was intended to honor the nation’s soldiers and highlight the armed forces’ progress against the rebels seeking to oust him. | Mr. Assad’s visit to the city of Daraya, once an insurgent stronghold that his forces have largely retaken, was intended to honor the nation’s soldiers and highlight the armed forces’ progress against the rebels seeking to oust him. |
| In video broadcast on Syrian state television, Mr. Assad walked among camouflaged soldiers and shook their hands as they pumped their fists and chanted. He told them their victories over the rebels would have historic value. | In video broadcast on Syrian state television, Mr. Assad walked among camouflaged soldiers and shook their hands as they pumped their fists and chanted. He told them their victories over the rebels would have historic value. |
| “I think that in the future, different armies are going to study this experience, and military studies centers have started analyzing this case in order to benefit from it,” Mr. Assad said. | “I think that in the future, different armies are going to study this experience, and military studies centers have started analyzing this case in order to benefit from it,” Mr. Assad said. |
| He also took a jab at the rebels, who have repeatedly declared that “zero hour” in the final battle for Damascus was fast approaching but have never been able to threaten the heart of the capital. Mr. Assad told the soldiers that there had been 14 “zero hours” announced this year, “but at each zero hour, you turn them into zeros — them, their plans and those backing them.” | He also took a jab at the rebels, who have repeatedly declared that “zero hour” in the final battle for Damascus was fast approaching but have never been able to threaten the heart of the capital. Mr. Assad told the soldiers that there had been 14 “zero hours” announced this year, “but at each zero hour, you turn them into zeros — them, their plans and those backing them.” |
| Momentum in the conflict has shifted in favor of Mr. Assad recently, as his forces have taken back rebel-controlled neighborhoods near Damascus and in the central city of Homs. More than 100,000 people have been killed since the conflict started with political protests in March 2011, and all international efforts to slow the violence have failed. | Momentum in the conflict has shifted in favor of Mr. Assad recently, as his forces have taken back rebel-controlled neighborhoods near Damascus and in the central city of Homs. More than 100,000 people have been killed since the conflict started with political protests in March 2011, and all international efforts to slow the violence have failed. |
| Despite their setbacks, the rebels can still harm the government. A rocket attack in Homs detonated a government armory on Thursday, causing an explosion that shook the city and sent a fireball into the sky. | Despite their setbacks, the rebels can still harm the government. A rocket attack in Homs detonated a government armory on Thursday, causing an explosion that shook the city and sent a fireball into the sky. |
| Activists said the blast occurred after rebels had fired rockets at southern neighborhoods that are heavily populated with Alawites, the religious sect to which Mr. Assad belongs. Alawites play a leading role in his security forces. | |
| A Homs activist reached via Skype who gave his name as Abu Bilal said that civilians lived in the area before the war but that it had since become like a base for Mr. Assad’s forces to launch attacks on the rebels. | A Homs activist reached via Skype who gave his name as Abu Bilal said that civilians lived in the area before the war but that it had since become like a base for Mr. Assad’s forces to launch attacks on the rebels. |
| He said the blast was like “a volcano.” | He said the blast was like “a volcano.” |
| Another activist, Samer Abu Adnan, said smaller explosions followed the big blast for about three hours. | Another activist, Samer Abu Adnan, said smaller explosions followed the big blast for about three hours. |
| “The rebels managed to target the hubs of the thugs and their armories,” he said. “It was like a mountain of shells and weapons for the regime.” | “The rebels managed to target the hubs of the thugs and their armories,” he said. “It was like a mountain of shells and weapons for the regime.” |
| Video posted online showed gray smoke rising from the area before a red ball of flame burst into the sky, followed by a smaller explosion. | |
| The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in Britain and monitors the conflict through contacts inside Syria, said the blast killed at least 40 people and wounded more than 100. | |
Hwaida Saad contributed reporting. | Hwaida Saad contributed reporting. |