Explosions, heavy gunshots rattle Damascus

DAMASCUS, Jun 16 – Blasts and heavy gunshots rattled the Syrian capital of Damascus early Saturday with activists reporting fierce clashes on a highway in the city.

About seven bombings were heard since 6:15 a.m. local time (0315 GMT), witnesses said, adding that intense shootouts were also heard.

The activists’ network, Local Coordination Committees (LCC), said clashes between the government forces and Free Syrian Army (FSA) rebels erupted at al-Mutahaleq al-Janubi highway as Syrian troops raided the Kafar Suseh neighborhood in the early morning.

Syria’s media reported that Syrian troops combed restive areas in Damascus and central Homs province Friday to track down armed groups.

A number of explosive devices went off in some cities, causing injuries and property damages.

Maj. Gen. Robert Mood, head of the UN supervision mission in Syria, said Friday that the violence in Syria has notably increased over the past 10 days “from all parties,” warning that such mounting firefight hampers his mission.

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