Syria's biggest cities seeing fighting now

(CBS News) BEIRUT - Fierce fighting is being reported in Syria's two biggest cities. The street battles have left parts of Damascus and Aleppo in ruins, and forced thousands more civilians to flee the violence.

Until a few days ago, Syria's two main cities had been bubbles of relative stability, but heavy fighting is now driving a flood of refugees over Syria's borders, with thousands fleeing to Turkey or Lebanon.

They're seeking safety from a civil war that has finally come to their doorsteps.

"In my home (in the Damascus suburbs), I could see the helicopters bombing and tanks firing," one refugee told CBS News.

In the capital, Syrian soldiers have regained control of neighborhoods that had fallen at least in part to opposition fighters. State television told viewers government troops were mopping up remnants of people dubbed "terrorists" by the regime.

Syrian rebels: We will "liberate" Aleppo
Syrian troops, rebels clash in city of Aleppo
Syrian troops seize Damascus neighborhood; Activists say 300 killed

But as the fighting dies down in one area, it flares up in another.

Aleppo has seen fierce clashes over the past 48 hours. The city - Syria's second largest and most important economically - had been a center of support for the president, but that is now clearly fraying.

As for President Bashar Assad, he appeared for the second time on television since a bombing that killed four of his top officials, but there was no confirmation on where exactly he is or to what extent he's in charge.

As the opposition offensive continued, the Free Syrian Army claimed Sunday it had seized yet another border post on Syria's frontier with Turkey.

This has been the bloodiest week since fighting began: 1,260 have been killed, including 299 government forces.

[whogivesadamn]

Good
I know some people tink I'm mean but,I don't care Isaiah 17,

[robert1129]

Every day sees troop defections from the government. Soon, the rank and file will just go over en masse and leave only the top generals fighting for Asaad. Even they will go over right after that. If Asaad's family has not left Syria, they should do so now because when the rebels storm the residence, they will do things to them a la Quadaafi. As to Asaad himself, he had better leave while the leaving is good. He can expect no troop help from Russia and/or China. The other countries would not stand for that.

[Bush-cheney-R-Terrorists]

A few years ago, maybe 5, Syria had begun secretly building an atomic weapons plant in the middle of the desert. Even more secretly it was bombed into dust in the middle of the night (Operation Orchard), all of it happening without a word of publicity at the time. Why doesn't the US secretly turn the Presidential Palace into a swimming pool one night without saying a word? Of course a lot of people would assume that the US did it, but it's just as likely Israel would have, or that someone left the gas on. It doesn't matter, that problem would be solved.