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Fierce battle for Aleppo

Regime declares Damascus victory as rebels call for int'l help

AGENCIES
Troops backed by helicopters pushed an offensive against rebels in Syria's commercial capital Aleppo into a second straight day yesterday, sparking fierce fighting and sending civilians fleeing.
The government of Bashar al-Assad yesterday declared victory in a hard-fought battle for Syria’s capital Damascus, and vowed to crush rebels in the second largest city Aleppo.
Assad's forces have struggled as never before to maintain their grip on the country over the past two weeks after a major rebel advance into the two largest cities and an explosion that killed four top security officials.
Government forces have succeeded in reimposing their grip the capital after a punishing battle, but rebels are still in control of sections of Aleppo, clashing with reinforced army troops for several days.
"Today I tell you, Syria is stronger... In less than a week they were defeated (in Damascus) and the battle failed," Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said on a visit to Iran, FROM PAGE 20
Assad's main ally in a region where other neighbours have forsaken him.
"So they moved on to Aleppo and I assure you, theirplots will fail."
In an initial toll, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a total of nine killed Sunday across Syria: Four civilians and five rebels.
On Saturday, violence killed 168 people -- 94 civilians, 33 rebels and 41 soldiers, it said.
The conflict has also seen tens of thousands of people flee to Syria's neigh-
bours, and Jordan yesterday announced that it has opened its first official refugee camp.
Rebel fighters, patrolling opposition districts in flatbed trucks flying green-white-and-black "independence" flags, said they were holding off Assad's forces in the south-western Aleppo district of Salaheddine, where clashes have gone on for days.
Opposition activists also reported fighting in other rebel-held districts of Aleppo, in what could herald the start of a decisive phase in the battle for Syria's commercial hub,
after the army sent tank columns and troop reinforcements last week.
Helicopter gunships hovered over the city shortly after dawn and the thud of artillery boomed across neighbourhoods. Syrian state television said soldiers was repelling "terrorists" in Salaheddine and had captured several of their leaders.
Some rebel-held areas visited by Reuters were empty of residents. Fighters were basing themselves in houses - some clearly abandoned in a hurry, with food still in the fridges.