Syrian jets bomb rebels in Damascus
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| A woman carrying a child walks past a damaged bus in Aleppo's Bustan al-Basha
district November 29, 2012.
Credit: Reuters/Zain Karam
(Reuters) - Syrian jets bombed rebel-held areas of Damascus on Saturday,
residents said, and a countrywide Internet blackout entered its third
day.
Syrian rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad clashed with troops
in most populated areas of the country, according to opposition activists. At
least 40,000 people have been killed during the 20-month-old uprising, they
say.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition-linked monitor, said
war planes were bombing the Damascus suburbs of Kafar Souseh and
Darraya.
If rebels maintain a presence in these areas, they will hold ground in a
continuous arc from the northeast to southwest of the capital's outer
districts.
"Syrian regular forces are trying to control the areas surrounding the
capital and clashed with rebel fighters," the Observatory said.
The mostly Sunni Muslim rebels battling Assad, who is from Syria's Alawite
minority linked to Shi'ite Islam, have been making gains across Syria by overrunning military
bases and have been ramping up attacks on Damascus, his seat of power.
Since Thursday, clashes have been reported near the Aqraba and Babilla
districts on the southeastern outskirts of Damascus which lead to the
international airport, effectively closing the road and leading EgyptAir and
Emirates to suspend flights.
Syrian state television quoted a ministry of information statement saying the
Damascus international airport was open on Saturday and that the road leading to
it was safe. Opposition activists said clashes continued.
Networking experts accuse the government of cutting off the Internet but
Damascus blames "terrorists," a term it uses for the opposition.
Rights groups have warned the communications drop off is a precursor to a
wider offensive by government forces in the capital. Syrian security sources and
diplomats say the government intends to block central Damascus from the restive
suburbs.
Rebels and activists said on Saturday there have been multiple communications
problems since the uprising began.
Abu Yazen, an activist from the central city of Homs, said rebel units had
been using satellite phones, radios and Skype to coordinate with each
other.
"There is no Internet or phone service in Syria but it has not affected our
work too much," he told Reuters over Skype.
Activists reported clashes and aerial strikes in the provinces of Homs, Deir
al-Zor, Idlib and in Aleppo where they said 14 rebels fighters were killed
during an assault on an army base in the town of Khanasser early on
Saturday.
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