Violence continues, 35 killed in Syria

Beirut : At least 35 people, including children, were killed as Syrian forces backed by combat helicopters battled rebels in a new front in and around east Damascus.

Government forces are also engaged in a major battle for control of the northern city of Aleppo as well as smaller-scale operations in the country’s south, east and centre.

On the diplomatic front, a senior UN official said Iran’s arms supplies to Syria violated UN sanctions. France also indicated it has provided the rebels with communication and protection equipment but cautioned against foreign intervention without a UN mandate.

A prominent opposition figure, meanwhile, rejected as “more lies” comments by a senior Syrian official that Damascus would be willing to discuss Assad’s resignation but only after the opposition agreed to join in negotiating a peaceful settlement.

An amateur video distributed by the Britain-based watchdog showed several bloodied bodies, some with their hands bound with rope, lined up on the ground in a small room.

“It’s forbidden for the regime to kill us with chemical weapons,” said the unidentified activist filming the video, in reference to Western warnings to President Bashar al-Assad not to resort to his chemicals weapons arsenal.

“But they can kill us with bombs.”

The Observatory reports and the authenticity of the video could not be verifed because of the severe restrictions on media operating in Syria.

“Effectively the army is going from west to east around Damascus, while we are trying to get back into the city, this time in a more organised way,” a rebel commander who identified himself only as Selim told.

The increasing brutal conflict, which had been largely concentrated in the provinces, first hit Damascus with a vengeance last month when fierce battles erupted across the southern belt of the capital.

Troops then launched a major offensive on districts seized by rebels, claiming to to have the city back under its control on August 4.