Heavy bombardment by the Syrian government forces targeted the Kasr al-Shaab Syrian government forces have bombarded strategic locations on the outskirts of capital Damascus on another deadly day of violence across the country.
As regime soldiers launched a fierce offensive on Kasr al-Shaab, rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters said they had detained members of Lebanese group Hezbollah\'s Abu Fadl al-Abbas Brigades in al-Madamia.
The news came as FSA fighters were plotting a tactical attack on the neighbourhood of Sayeda Zeinab in Damascus, and areas in Homs, which have become Hezbollah strongholds.
Syrian state television reported that regime forces took control of the town of Bayda, northwestern Syria, adding to the government\'s success in Qusayr. However, opposition sources claimed that fighting was ongoing in the Lebanese-Syrian border town of Qusayr, claiming several explosions shook pro-regime neighbourhoods in the city,
Sources added that militants shot down a helicopter over Meng military airport, north of Aleppo, leading to a government offensive on the opposition-controlled part of the site.
Shaam News Network (SNN) reported that regime forces bombarded several small towns and villages on the outskirts of Damascus, including Kaboun, Barza, Kadam. There were further reports of missiles and heavy artillery being used on the cities and towns of Maliha, Arbin, Bayt Sahm, Zamalka, Daraya, Maadameyet al Sham, Harasta. Several areas of eastern Ghouta were bombed, including the town of Humayra in Qalmon, with violent clashes reported in al-Marg in the eastern Ghouta and in the surrounding cities of Arbin and Daria.
Rebel activists said that the western side of Daraa, southwestern Syria, witnessed heavy intermittent clashes between regime forces - backed by Hezbollah – and the FSA. The clashes began after the area of Shiah, located between Daria and Madamia was attacked by FSA fighters, who claimed to have arrested fighters from Abu Fadl al-Abbas Brigades.
A senior FSA leader said that his fighters were preparing to attack Sayeda Zainab, and clear the road to Quneitra, to ease access to the capital.
SNN said a car bomb exploded in the Nozha neighbourhood of Homs, and the area was cordoned off by the regular army\'s soldiers.
State news agency, SANA described the bombing as a \"terrorist\" attack. \"A number of citizens were martyred and others were wounded as a result of the terrorist bombing by a suicide bomber in a car bomb in front of the Dair al-Mokhles in al-Adaweya residential neighbourhood in the city of Homs,\" the agency said.