Army launches assault on rebel areas of Damascus

Government troops launched assaults on several rebel areas in the north of Damascus on Friday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. "Regime forces stormed the neighbourhoods of Barzeh, Jubar and Qaboon in Damascus, cutting off streets and breaking into and raiding houses. They arrested a large number of residents," the Britain-based watchdog said. "Homes and businesses have been destroyed and vandalised," said the Syrian Revolution General Commission, a network of activists on the ground. "The security forces and army have closed off Qaboon with a large presence and raids are underway," the SRGC added. The regime has claimed multiple times to have "cleansed" these areas from "terrorists", its blanket term for rebels, but clashes have continued nevertheless between the army and rebels. The Local Coordination Committees, another activist network, said that in Barzeh "a large number of soldiers and tanks have deployed throughout. The sound of gunfire can be heard and families in the neighborhood are in panic."