Syria announced on Wednesday (August 8th) that troops seized an opposition-held district in the northern city of Aleppo, AFP reported.
Syrian troops "have taken full control of the district of Salaheddine," the official Syrian Arab News Agency reported, saying the military "inflicted heavy losses on groups of armed terrorists", the regime's term for Syria's armed opposition.
Free Syrian Army (FSA) leaders immediately denied the government's claim while acknowledging that an attack was under way.
"It is not true the regime army seized control of the district," said the FSA's Col. Abdel Jabbar al-Okaidi.
Regime forces are employing "fighter jets, tanks and mortars" in their assault, he said.
Meanwhile, opposition commander Wassel Ayub told AFP that opposition forces "staged a counter-attack and reclaimed three streets out of five seized by regime forces."
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said casualty figures in Aleppo are impossible to determine at present due to intense clashes.
"Fighting is still raging in the district of Salaheddine […] and there are initial reports of many dead," the Observatory said.
The Observatory also reported that at least 82 people died across Syria on Wednesday, following the deaths of at least 225 people on Tuesday.
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ADD A COMMENT (COMMENT POLICY) * DENOTES REQUIRED FIELD
READER COMMENTS
اسد العراق
2012-8-13
God will help Bashaar El Assad, defeat the opposition and the American-Israeli conspiracy!
مقهور
2012-8-10
The Free Syrian army is an American Israeli tool to destroy Syria, if it was not for that, since when have America, Israel and the world been careful about an Arabic nation? Where are these countries from what is happening in Palestine? Where are they from Afghanistan? Where are they from what was happening in Iraq? I feel sorry for this nation (Arab World) that other nations laugh at her ignorance!!
محمد عبد الرازق
2012-8-10
I have nothing to say except: God suffices me for He is the Best Disposer of affairs!
أيناس عبد المجيد
2012-8-10
Dear Arab rulers, the Syrian people are yelling you, so where is the Arab reaction to what is happening to the free and brave Syrian people? And where is the role of the Arab governments in solving the Syrian crisis? What has happened to the Arab union and your slogans, in which you are always talking? So, you Arab leaders, wake up; may God have mercy on you and bring you back to your consciousness and your mind. There are Syrian who are being slaughtered daily by this despicable villain Bashar Al Assad and his despicable and unjust snipers, while you are asleep, having no respectable reaction. People are killed while you are safe. How can you see all this and we hear none of your voices, or see your reaction? How can you see all that and not intervene to save the Syrian people?
لؤي عبد الله
2012-8-9
The human dimension is the issue of the poor displaced Syrians is very significant. Therefore, they should receive even more interest and care especially that their number has increased in a very rapid way. In fact, the displaced are escaping from the infernal killing machines which operate every day. The neighboring countries of Syria are supposed to react very quickly and show more interest in the Syrian people. Besides, all the civil societies and humanitarian organizations should speed up taking the necessary initiatives, especially that we live in the holy month of Ramadan. The holy month makes it imperative for all Muslims to return to their conscience and to show compassion towards others. Indeed, we do not want to see the Syrian people flee their homes and their homeland. We do not want to see the situation run out of control in Syria and the other Arab countries. We note that the Syrian Government is unable to provide electricity for the citizen. Still more, this Government is unable to provide the Security Forces with the necessary information to reveal the facts and arrest the criminal and terrorist inner circle of the doglike Bashar.