Syria's rebels abandon territory in major cities in favour of new guerilla war Since then, however, he has come under pressure from Russia, Syria's most powerful ally, to reverse course. "The Syrian government must take the first step and start withdrawal in line with Kofi Annan's plan," Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, said on Monday. Yet with both his domestic and international adversaries in disarray, Mr Assad may be hoping that he can translate recent military successes into total victory. The opposition's ability to hold territory was seen as crucial if they were to succeed in their hopes of overthrowing Mr Assad, but the rebels have wilted under the government's superior firepower, demonstrated in a string of remorseless artillery offensives since the beginning of February. The Free Syrian Army, as Syria's loosely affiliated rebel militias call themselves, concede they have no choice now but to resort to guerilla warfare. "After what happened in Deraa, in Homs, in Idlib, the Free Syrian Army is not focusing on holding cities anymore," said the commander of one rebel brigade, speaking from a safe house in northern Lebanon. We are now adopting guerilla tactics; we have watchers who spy on checkpoints and attack. The shift in tactics is also an acknowledgment that public support for the armed opposition's cause had been eroded by the government's policy of indiscriminately shelling villages where rebel fighters had taken refuge. The rebel commander, who identified himself as Abu Suleiman, said that civilians in one border village where he and his men had conducted frequent operations had begged them to leave, fearing that government forces would destroy the town if they did not. Despite being a tactic forced on the rebels by necessity, Abu Suleiman claimed that the guerilla campaign would still be extremely effective because it would make the Syrian capital its chief target. "The plan is hit-and-run attacks against the military in Damascus," he said. We have to cut off the head of the snake. The FSA is tightening the noose to reach al-Abbasyeen Square in the centre of Damascus. The best fighters from across the country are moving to the capital to join the resistance there. A loud explosion was heard in Damascus yesterday. Although its cause was unknown, there have been a series of bombings against military targets in the capital since the Free Syrian Army promised last month to co-ordinate attacks in and around the city. There have also been a number of suicide bombings that have killed scores of civilians since last December, which the Syrian government and some Western officials have blamed on al Qaeda affiliates.