Fiercest clashes in Damascus for months, 107 killed

Pro-regime news agencies deny rebel attacks inside Damascus Fierce fighting in the Syrian capital has left 107 people dead, as diplomatic attempts to solve the 22-month crisis took centre-stage at Cairo's Organisation for Islamic Cooperation [OIC] summit. Some of the fiercest fighting in months hit central Damascus on Wednesday, as opposition fighters launched an offensive across the capital.
"The province was bombed very badly, in attacks that have not been seen in months. There was very heavy fighting," said Rami Abdelrahman, Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a London-based watchdog that relies on a widespread network of local activist sources inside the country.
Local residents reported "unusually intense bombing" throughout the capital on Wednesday.
Several neighborhoods in Damascus were exposed to heavy regime bombardments throughout the morning, including Barzeh, Jobar, Kidm. The Free Syrian Army [FSA] destroyed a government tank in Jobar that had previously been shelling the Harmala checkpoint in the area.
In the Yarmouk refugee camp, FSA fighters blew up the last remaining regime stronghold on 30th street, amid continued clashes in the Palestinian area of southern Damascus.
Regime forces meanwhile closed the capital’s Abbasiyeen district and a road in Fares al-Khoury as rebel fighters attacked roadblocks and fortifications with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars.
The offensive came as fierce clashes erupted between rebels and soldiers in the north-east and south-west of Damascus, as well as in the southern district of Qadam and eastern Jobar and Qaboon districts in the capital.
These areas of Damascus are among the strongest bastions of the rebellion against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
In the south-central city of Palmyra, two suicide car bombings targeted a military intelligence headquarters, reportedly killed 19 soldiers, the Observatory said.
"A powerful explosion rocked Palmyra this morning and according to initial reports it was a suicide attack targeting a building housing military intelligence and state security offices,” according to the Britain-based Observatory.
The watchdog could not immediately give a more detailed breakdown of casualties.
State-owned Syrian media meanwhile denied any rebel attacks taking place inside Damascus.
“The army has launched a coordinated all-out offensive on all areas surrounding the capital,” it said. "All entries to Damascus have been sealed.”
The independent Sham network claimed that at least 107 people -- including 32 civilians, 51 rebels and 39 government troops -- were killed nationwide on Wednesday.
In Egypt, President Mohammed Morsi addressed the Organisation for Islamic Cooperation [OIC], calling for the unification of Syrian opposition forces before an assembly of Islamic leaders, including Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
"The Syrian regime must draw lessons from history,” he said. “It is the people who will remain. Those who put their personal interests above the interests of their people will end up leaving.”
Morsi called on opposition blocs not affiliated with the Syrian National Coalition [SNC] to “coordinate with this coalition and support its efforts for a unified approach towards democracy.”
Though Syrian representatives did not attend the summit, much of the debate across the two-day conference was expected to focus on the conflict.
According to an OIC draft resolution seen by Arabstoday, the summit plans to host "serious dialogue" between the Syrian opposition and government officials "not directly involved in oppression."
Calls for dialogue, drafted by ministers following two days of preparatory meetings, will pile pressure on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to respond to a surprise offer of talks by SNC chief Ahmad Moaz al-Khatib.
Khatib announced last week he was ready to sit down with regime officials, subject to preconditions including the release of 160,000 detainees.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with BBC Arabic on Wednesday, Khatib revealed he had given the regime a deadline of until Sunday to release detainees, otherwise “the initiative for dialogue will be broken.”
“The initiative exists to end the suffering of the Syrian people. It is a humane initiative for the regime to leave,” Khatib said. “We say to the regime, we will negotiate with you until you leave. We say the revolution will continue and there will be room for negotiations.”
United Nations sources meanwhile revealed that the SNC would open offices in New York and Washington, ahead of scheduled meetings with US and UN officials.
Sources close to the Syrian opposition said that the Washington office will be headed by Ebab Khalil, in preparation for a visit by al-Khatib by the end of the month.
The visit would also include a meeting with US President Barack Obama, the source said.
SNC members have meanwhile called for an emergency meeting to discuss prospective negotiations with officials from the Assad administration.
Some opposition figures have criticised al-Khatib's negotiations offer, while others claim it could expose “hollow” dialogue proposals by President Assad.
"The initiative will prove to the international community that President Assad is not willing to compromise one millimetre,” one official said. “We need to take advantage of that.”