Syrian fighting spreads to Aleppo's suburbs

Syria's rebels have recently attempted to seize the offensive in the country's two largest cities.

Clashes between rebels and government forces spread out of the north-eastern neighbourhoods of Sukkari and Hanano to nearby areas and even closer to the centre in Arkoub.

Syria's state news agency said that government troops were engaged in fierce fighting with rebels in Aleppo suburbs and reported that they had inflicted heavy losses.

Meanwhile fighting flared in the previously quiet southern neighbourhood of Firdous.

Government troops quelled a jail mutiny on the outskirts of the city, killing 15 prisoners when machine guns and teargas were used on inmates overnight.

But the capital Damascus, which saw an even fiercer rebel assault last week, appeared to be largely back in government hands as troops scoured some neighbourhoods and shelled others to quash the remaining pockets of rebel fighters.

Explosions and gunfire could still be heard in the central district of Barzeh after government forces stormed in overnight, and tanks prowled the streets of Midan, a neighbourhood recaptured by the army on Friday.

Outside Damascus and Aleppo, government forces have used artillery and helicopter gunships to keep rebel fighters off balance in the last few days, with Deir al-Zor and al-Herak among towns that rebels say are suffering such long-range bombardments.

Syrians have suffered hardships caused by the fighting. Three-quarters of medical facilities in Damascus are now closed and people who have fled their homes are taking refuge in 58 schools or camping out in public parks, UN refugee agency UNHCR said.

A spokeswoman said that the number of displaced people within Syria had risen to about 1.5 million, up from the previous estimate of 1 million.

More than 10,000 Iraqi refugees returned home from Syria in the past week, almost as many as the 13,000 who left in the first six months of 2012.

bill@peoples-press.com