Syrian Army Pushing Back Against Rebel Gains in Damascus

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 200 people were killed across Syria yesterday

Syrian government forces bombarded rebel districts near Damascus on Tuesday in a sustained counter-attack to stem rebel gains around President Bashar al-Assad's power base.

The fighting around Damascus has led foreign airlines to suspend flights and prompted the United Nations and European Union to reduce their presence in the capital, adding to a sense that the fight is closing in.