Syrian troops recover rebellious area

Syrian government troops have recovered full control of a rebellious area of the capital Damascus, state-run TV said today.

The opposition confirmed the move, with the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights saying regime forces backed by tanks had entered the Midan district.

Damascus activist Khaled al-Shami, contacted by the Associated Press via the internet, said rebels carried out a “tactical” retreat early tody to spare civilians further shelling after five days of intense clashes between opposition fighters and regime forces.

The fighting in Midan and several other areas turned parts of Damascus into combat zones this past week, with violence in the capital reaching its fiercest in an uprising now into its 17th month.

The fighting sent thousands of Syrians streaming across the border into Lebanon yesterday.