Tank exploding
Tank explodingScreenshot

The Syrian military loyal to President Bashar al-Assad is collapsing in the peripheral areas of Syria, far from the central cities, according to latest reports.

Videos uploaded to the internet in recent days show rebel victories in the eastern part of Syria, as Deir a-Zour.

The narrator of one such video explains that after a siege that lasted eight days, rebels succeeded in killing about 80 soldiers and capturing 100 others, who can be seen in the video. In addition, they captured a large amount of weapons and ammunition, including heavy machine guns, anti-tank missiles and hundreds of assault rifles.

The narrator added that a combat jet was shot down as well.

In another battle, two weeks ago, rebels captured the village of Khan el-Asal near Haleb, and took 51 soldiers captive. They were all executed in the center of the village a short time later.

The first video show the prisoners and the loot being taken. The second shows a tank being destroyed. 

These rebel gains to the east come as regime forces continue to recapture rebel positions around major cities, including the flashpoint city of Homs.