(Zaman Al Wasl)- Islamist Failaq al-Rahman rebel group launched Tuesday the second phase of its offensive in the northeastern edge of Damascus, regaining territory they lost to the army in a weekend
assault, and were now storming a major road intersection into the heart
of the city, a spokesman said.
"At 5.00 a.m. (0300 GMT) we launched the new offensive and we restored all the points we withdrew from Monday. We have fire control over the Abassiyin garages and began storming it," Wael Alwan, the spokesman of Failaq al Rahman, told Reuters.
The powerful Islamist group, in statement posted online, vowed the full commitment to the law of armed conflict and all international rules on warfare, including the neutralization of civilians of all religions and sects. As well to not target the diplomatic missions based in Damascus.
Opposition forces said at least 39 regime troops have been killed in the Sunday attack where they seized several buildings in Jobar before advancing into the neighboring Abbasid Square area -- the first time in two years that the opposition had advanced so close to the capital's center.
The regime army drove rebels back by nightfall and began a fierce bombing campaign on Monday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and state-run TV said.
Citizen journalists and activists denied regime reports of pushing back rebels, saying they will not reveal details about the ongoing clashes over rebel safety and to protect the attack plans.
Rebels still controlled several key points in an industrial zone lying between Jobar and the besieged northeastern district of Qabun to the north, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, regime warplanes have pounded opposition-held suburbs of Damascus with more than 40 air strikes, killing at least 13 civilians.
Control of Jobar -- which has been a battleground for more than two years -- is divided between rebels and allied jihadists on one side, and regime forces on the other.
Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests against Assad's rule but has morphed over the years into a complex civil war.
More than 465,000 people have been killed and millions more have been displaced by the conflict. (With agencies)
"At 5.00 a.m. (0300 GMT) we launched the new offensive and we restored all the points we withdrew from Monday. We have fire control over the Abassiyin garages and began storming it," Wael Alwan, the spokesman of Failaq al Rahman, told Reuters.
The powerful Islamist group, in statement posted online, vowed the full commitment to the law of armed conflict and all international rules on warfare, including the neutralization of civilians of all religions and sects. As well to not target the diplomatic missions based in Damascus.
There
was no immediate comment from the regime army, which said Monday it had
recaptured all the areas in northeastern Damascus lost after a surprise
rebel assault Sunday in the strategic entrance to the heart of the
capital.
The regime army drove rebels back by nightfall and began a fierce bombing campaign on Monday morning, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and state-run TV said.
Citizen journalists and activists denied regime reports of pushing back rebels, saying they will not reveal details about the ongoing clashes over rebel safety and to protect the attack plans.
Rebels still controlled several key points in an industrial zone lying between Jobar and the besieged northeastern district of Qabun to the north, according to AFP.
Meanwhile, regime warplanes have pounded opposition-held suburbs of Damascus with more than 40 air strikes, killing at least 13 civilians.
Control of Jobar -- which has been a battleground for more than two years -- is divided between rebels and allied jihadists on one side, and regime forces on the other.
Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011 with protests against Assad's rule but has morphed over the years into a complex civil war.
More than 465,000 people have been killed and millions more have been displaced by the conflict. (With agencies)
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