Syrian troops, rebels clash in city of Aleppo

A Syrian army soldier walks in a partially-destroyed neighborhood in the Midan area of Damascus, July 20, 2012. Syrian regime forces routed rebel fighters from Midan, Syrian state TV reported, saying troops had "cleaned" the district of "terrorists." / LOUAI BESHARA/AFP/Getty Images

(CBS/AP) BEIRUT - Activists and opposition groups say Syrian troops and rebels have clashed for a second day in the northern city of Aleppo.

They say the overnight clashes with heavy machine guns were some of the fiercest to date in the heart of Syria's northern commercial hub.

Aleppo has been largely shielded from the violence that has plagued other Syrian cities over the course of the uprising against President Bashar Assad, now in its 17th month.

Aleppo-based activist Mohammad Saeed said dozens of rebels from the Free Syrian Army were now in the city. He said fighting was mostly in the Salaheddine district in the city center.

The Local Coordination Committees activist network and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Friday's fighting forced many residents to flee to safer areas.

Also, a Free Syrian Army spokesman confirmed the capture of a strategic border crossing with Turkey on Friday, claiming the rebels had seized "Syria's gateway to Europe".

Muhannad Issa, a Vice Commander Idlib Martyrs Brigade - a Northern battalion of the Free Syrian Army, said from Hatay in Turkey on Friday that the seizure of the Bab al-Hawa crossing was a major victory for the rebels.

"It is Syria's gateway to Europe through Turkey and the FSA has the control of Bab al-Hawa right now. The helicopters and the Syrian army might be shelling but it is the FSA that has control of the strategic gate and from now on it will be of no use to the Syrian government."

A Turkish official based in Reyhanli, on the Turkish side of the border gate of Bab al-Hawa, confirmed that the rebels had taken control of the frontier crossing, but had no information on the latest situation over on the Syrian side.

Syrian troops seize Damascus neighborhood
4th member of Assad regime dies after Damascus bombing

Fighting has flared across Syria this week, as battles have ravaged Damascus neighborhoods, death tolls have skyrocketed, border crossings have fallen to rebel fighters and a rebel bomb attack killed top members of President Bashar Assad's regime.

The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a resolution Friday renewing the 300-strong U.N. observer force in Syria for 30 days, leaving the door open for a possible extension if the government stops using heavy weapons and the escalating violence is reduced significantly.

A group of United Nations observers left their Damascus hotel on Saturday as part of a small group who have been cut from the 300-strong contingent.

On Thursday, Russia and China vetoed a resolution backed by key Western nations that would have threatened non-military sanctions on Assad's regime.

But Issa dismissed its importance on Friday.

"When we started going out in protests we always said we had no one but God with us. We know how to get our rights back," he said.

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[alwaysright7]

Obama has nothing to do with this. Just some ignorant drivel from somebody that knows nothing. The one to blame is Ban Kay Moon (U.N. Chief) that keeps imposing meaningless sanctions. Meanwhile, innocent civilians are slaughtered. Assad will go down as another Hitler!

[inickat]

Two drag racers racing burning their tires and traveling at break neck speed down the road. One of them doesn't like the evident outcome and so he asks mr. cameron to build him a more powerful vehicle.
To bad it was a street with children playing on it and mothers and fathers taking care of their families.

Hey, I just built the car. Those thousands of people fleeing for their lives are not my responsibility. I just wanted my pick to win. The other guy could have quit racing at any time.

[inickat]

The Daily Mail can reveal some rebels inside Damascus have been trained by former SAS soldiers working for teams of private security contractors from two companies based in the Middle East.
Faltering: Syrian President Bashar Assad could fall within four weeks, potentially leading to fighting spilling out of Syria and in to Lebanon

Faltering: Syrian President Bashar Assad could fall within four weeks, potentially leading to fighting spilling out of Syria and in to Lebanon

More than 300 rebels have passed through a remote base just inside Iraq, while a second 'higher tier' command course not involving weapons is being held in Saudi Arabia.

Potential leaders are given military planning tuition with training in military tactics including weapon handling, leadership and using communications systems.

From the Daily Mail and others. Clearly this rebellion was Western initiated.