Government forces killed at least 36 people in operations in Damascus suburbs. The government said it had “cleansed” the area of terrorists; rebels called it a massacre. A large car bomb exploded in central Damascus near police headquarters. Turkey and Syria exchanged artillery fire for a fifth day.
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Rebels captured an air defense base and a supply of missiles. Government aircraft and artillery bombarded Homs, in the heaviest attack in months. Rebels claimed in a video that they would start executing 48 kidnapped Iranian pilgrims if demands are not met.
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In Damascus, rebels killed 25 members of Syria’s elite Republican Guards. The Syrian army had launched an offensive in the area on Wednesday.
More than 50 people are said to have been killed in the coordinated attacks, which included a complex suicide assault. The terror group has now claimed credit for 26 of the 33 suicide attacks that have taken place in Syria since December 2011.
Four large suicide car bombs exploded in a government district of Aleppo. President Assad ordered 30,000 more troops into the battle for Aleppo. A regional peace initiative including Egypt, Iran, Turkey, and Saudi Arabia appeared to be failing. Syrian state TV attacked Hamas’ leader and Egypt’s president for their support of the rebellion.
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The US State Department said it believed a missing US journalist was being held by the Syrian government. Damascus saw renewed fighting. Iranian, UN, and NATO officials warned Syria not to use its chemical weapons against anti-government rebels.
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In Homs, government forces evicted thousands of residents and then demolished their homes. Fighting spread across the old section of Aleppo. Government forces shelled towns in the eastern suburbs of Damascus.
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After several days of fighting, a rebel offensive in the city of Aleppo made little progress against more heavily armed government forces. Government forces attacked rebels outside of Damascus.
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On the second day of their offensive in Aleppo, rebels unleashed artillery barrages against government positions. Government forces responded with air and artillery attacks. The government moved some of its chemical weapons for safekeeping. The US and France announced increased support for the rebels.
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According to the al Qaeda-linked group, its fighters were able to penetrate security and attack the Syrian Army headquarters after a suicide bomber caused a diversion.
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Several thousand rebels fighters launched a “decisive attack” for control of the city of Aleppo. The Al Nusra Front claimed responsibility for the double suicide bombing of the Syrian Army headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday. More than 300 people died in Wednesday’s fighting.