Violence rages in Syria's Aleppo; dozens killed across Syria

Fighting raged in Syria’s largest city Aleppo on Thursday afternoon. The clashes took place in the district of Mohafaza, and shells have targeted neighborhoods of Salaheddin and Mashhad.

According to the Lebanese media, regime forces managed to force rebel fighters out of their stronghold in the Saif al-Dawla district while the rest of Aleppo city is seeing fierce fighting. Free Syrian Army fighters continued to arrive from surrounding areas preparing for a decisive battle.

Syria state television said in a statement that the military has sent reinforcements to the outskirts of Aleppo city to maintain order and security.

Eyewitness told Reuters that forces loyal to the Bashar al-Assad regime have allegedly used warplanes and artillery to bomb rebels armed with rifles and machine guns in Salaheddin neighborhood. He added, "Residents of Salaheddin, particularly the women and children, have been fleeing the fighting."

Furthermore, an AFP correspondent reported that Free Syrian Army fighters told him that more shelling is expected on Thursday night, as troop reinforcements pour into the area in preparation for an assault or a new massacre.

In the meantime, clashes erupted in Damascus' Yarmouk refugee camp, Reuters news reported.

Source in the camp told Reuters on Thursday, that there have been heavy clashes between Assad's troops and opposition forces around the Palestine hospital since Wednesday morning, and that Assad's forces shelled the building twice on Thursday causing a huge fire.

"Syrian army was targeting the hospital because medics were treating wounded regardless their belongs, while Assad's regime only wanted its soldiers to be treated," the source said. He also added, "fighting in Yarmouk was intensifying daily, and that the number of Palestinians killed was rising dramatically in camps across Damascus, in Daraa and in Halab."

According to SOHR, at least 114 people were killed on Thursday, including 61 civilians, 32 regime troops and 21 rebels.

On Wednesday, the violence left 143 dead across the country - 75 civilians, 41 soldiers and 27 rebels - according to revised figures by the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The number of victims rises daily while the Security Council is still hesitating tin making a decision, which makes the opposition feel that they have to fight by themselves without waiting for an external support.

In fact, I have seen today on Al Arabiya TV, one of the Free Syrian Army saying, "the only decision is either victory or death." I feel proud to see high spirits among the Syrian Free Army fighters despite the tough circumstances they are going through, especially lack of life essentials such as water and food. I think this fighter feels more secure than Assad, who is expecting to be killed every second!

Source: http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/26/228423.html