The Syrian security forces once again sent a strong message that the government is still strong enough to cope with growing armed opposition and those who started a countdown for its collapse were
wrong. In a fierce fighting, they pushed rebels back from a district in Homs city, the theater of power drill.

The army moved into Deir Ba alba, a neighborhood on the northeastern edge of Homs, leaving the rebels controlling just the central neighborhoods around the old district of Khalidiyah. Due to the strategic and economic importance of the city, it has been the scene to some of heaviest fighting in the 21-month long uprising against the regime which has left more than 45,000 people, according

to activist tallies. It links Damascus, the President Assad's power base, to the heartlands of his Alawite minority in the port city of Tartous and Latakia province.

Indeed, controlling Homs could dangerously deal affect to power momentum and cut off Assad's family from its vital Alawite supporters in the present vivid sectarian fighting. Rebels have been gaining ground in recent months, particularly in the northern provinces of Aleppo and Idlib, and launched an offensive in the central Hama province which would extend their control south towards Homs and Damascus.

But seizing control of Deir Ba alba shows that government has reinforced its position and could challenge the heartland of rebels. It is said that the army had reinforced its positions in the town of Morek, which lies on the main north-south highway linking Damascus to Aleppo, to push back rebels who were running low on ammunition.

A rebel attack on the military base of Wadi Deif, further north on the same highway, had also slowed as rebels struggled to maintain supplies. An activist also said Assad's forces had bombarded the provincial town of Karnaz in Hama on Saturday, killing 10 people. Other activists said 12 people were wounded, with no fatalities.

It is not possible to verify reports from Syria because authorities restrict media operations in the country. There were unconfirmed reports that dozens of fighters had been killed in the battle for Deir Ba'alba. Seemingly the series of attacks carried by security forces shows that government is not on the losing side rather it regroups and reinforces its position on how to cope with rebels mismanaged battle.

For a long period, militants were fighting government security forces without any central leadership cadre because they have come from different backgrounds. At the start, it was clear that Syrians like the people in the rest of Arab countries flowed out to voice out their concerns, but after each passing day, the situation got changed and some started tilting to bring democracy through bullets and bloodshed.

Definitely, the government is largely blamed for growing civilian casualties but it does not mean that armed oppositions have come from sky for salvation of Syrians. They frequently put a spectacular show of bombings which are much similar to attacks being carried out by al-Qaeda and other like-minded groups in Iraq and Afghanistan. What is going on Syria is the same.

A high Iraqi al-Qaeda figure once told that members of network had gone to Syria to wage Jihad. The fighters are trying to highlight the religious issue to justify their violence against government. However, the regime is secular and different sects are part of the government, but now it is labeled as Shiite government which is indeed strange.

The regime does not necessarily represent Shiite. Alawis, who just accept three Shiite Imams were introduced as Shiite by Ayatullah Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Republic three decades ago. The Fetwa was a political one rather than a religious one.

Because many believe that the similarity between Alawaites and Sunni is far lager than that of Shiite and Alawites. Any how I am not trying to prove whether Alawites are Shiite or not, neither supporting President Assad to step down.

What is important to be noticed is that those who are killing government supporters, followers of particular sects for the sake of God, and chanting "Allaho Akbar" will not establish a democratic government which is essentially secular and based on religious pluralism. Why we should close our eyes and hope a miracle happen and within a moment they change from Jihadist to peaceful citizens.

Meanwhile, we cannot reject the influence of foreign factors and new global democratic environment. Indeed, nobody knows how the western democracy this time aligned with Islamist Radicals. If the regional and global powers do something to set the next establishment on the path of democracy, but with current rebellions Syria will not reach into democracy.