Shelling in Damascus

Heavy clashes and shelling have been reported in suburbs of the Syrian capital Damascus and other parts of the country.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said some of the heaviest fighting is taking place in the Damascus suburb of Daraya.

The Observatory and activist Mohammed Saeed, who is based near Damascus, said Syrian warplanes took part in bombing Daraya.

State-run news agency SANA said troops killed “tens of terrorists” in Daraya and nearby areas. The regime refers to rebels as “terrorists”.

Daraya is a few miles from the strategic military airbase of Mazzeh, a western neighbourhood of the capital.