Sawt Falasteen - Damascus gripped by anxiety in face of rebel offensive

"I had no wish to go out and everyone chose to stay in to follow the news surrounded by their loved ones," said Shadi, who did not wish to give his full name.

As the rebels have taken city after city in quick succession, many Syrians have been wracked by uncertainty, fearing a revival of the worst days of Syria's grinding civil war now in its 14th year.

"We don't understand anything anymore. In just one week, the twists and turns have been so overwhelming that they are beyond all comprehension," the young man said.

"The worry is contagious but we have to keep our cool," he said, never once taking his eyes off the alerts on his mobile phone.

Syrian rebels, led by Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched the shock offensive on November 27, sweeping from their stronghold in the northwest to capture swathes of northern and central Syria including the major cities of Aleppo and Hama.

Government forces have launched a counteroffensive seeking to repel the rebels but at the cost of relaxing their grip on other parts of the country, notably the east where Kurdish-led forces have taken over.

"Whenever rumours spread, people rush to buy various products, bread, rice, sugar and detergents," said Amine, 56, who runs a grocery store in the Sheikh Saad neighbourhood of the capital.

"Today, I bought twice from my wholesaler to keep up with demand."

- Exams delayed -

The offensive has already sent food prices skyrocketing by 30 percent in Damascus, according to residents.

The Syrian pound is trading at an all-time low of 19,000 to the dollar, down from 15,000 before the rebels launched their offensive on Wednesday of last week.

Security measures -- already strict before the offensive -- have been beefed up, with extra car searches, particularly on vehicles coming from outside the capital, according to residents.

Concerns have been further driven by the spread of disinformation and rumours.

The Syrian defence ministry has denounced "fabricated" videos, including of explosions at the headquarters of the general staff, calling on citizens not to fall prey to "lies" that "aim to sow chaos and panic among civilians".

In the usually lively neighbourhood of Bab Sharqi, restaurants and cafes are near-deserted in the evening, with some even closing up early due to the absence of customers.

Damascus University has delayed end-of-term exams and the Syrian football federation has postponed matches until further notice.

State news agency SANA reported that at Friday prayers, imams called on the faithful "not to panic... and to stand as one behind the Syrian Arab Army to defend the homeland".

Georgina, 32, said she had "heard a lot of rumours".

"I went to Old Damascus and saw a normal situation," she said, adding that nonetheless "everyone was keeping an eye on the news".

Meanwhile, some radio stations have switched from variety programming to non-stop news segments.

On state television, programmes host analysts and witnesses on the ground, including those denying "rumours" of fresh territorial losses to the advancing rebels.

F.Qawasmeh--SF-PST