The Syrian army is on standby to defend the capital Damascus against possible attacks by the western-backed rebels, state-run media said Wednesday.A military source was quoted by al-Watan newspaper as saying Damascus "is safe and will remain safe thanks to the thousands of army soldiers who are safeguarding it."The remarks came as the rebels intensified their mortar attacks on several parts of the capital, hitting schools, universities, marketplaces and other sectors and killing many people."We have repeatedly warned the terrorist groups against inching toward Damascus because that would mean their deaths along with their leaders," according to the paper.Despite those warnings, there have been several infiltration attempts from different directions which have all been foiled, added the paper.It lamented the incidents that cost the lives of civilians and said the Syrian army was working to deter the reoccurrence of such incidents."Damascus will stay safe and there is no reason for panic because the troops are in positions and have enough capabilities, experiences and courage to defeat the terrorists," the paper concluded