Heavy fighting inside Syrian capital: witnesses

BEIRUT - Reuters

Syrian policemen inspect the site of a car bomb explosion on Mazzeh highway in the capital Damascus on July 13. AFP photo

Opposition fighters battled Syrian government forces in districts in the south of Damascus today, some of the most intensive daytime fighting yet inside the city limits of the capital.
 
Activist Samir al-Shami, who spoke to Reuters by Skype from Damascus, said the fighting was under way in the poor al-Tadamon district, after a night of sustained battles in the nearby Hajar al-Aswad district.
 
"There is the sound of heavy gunfire. And there is smoke rising from the area. There are already some wounded and residents are trying to flee the area," he said, showing live video images of smoke visible over the skyline.
 
"There are also armored vehicles heading towards the southern part of the neighborhood."