Syria battles continue in Damascus

DAMASCUS? - Fierce battles continued on Friday in hotspots across Syria, most notably in the suburbs of the capital Damascus and the northern province of Aleppo.

Local media said clashes renewed Friday in the Damascus suburbs of Hamouria, Arbeen, Zamalka and Ein Tarma.

Syria's official news agency SANA said army units carried out operations in Hamouria and Arbeen, in which it clashed with armed insurgent groups and inflicted heavy tolls on them.

SANA also said the army units conducted a "qualitative" operation in the eastern countryside of Aleppo, killing many armed men and destroying 10 pickup trucks equipped with automatic machine-guns.

Meanwhile, the opposition's Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the neighborhoods of Bustan al-Qasr, al- Qartaji and Salahuddien in the city of Aleppo were subject to bombardment by government forces, which injured several people.

It said clashes also took place in Aleppo's al-Amriya neighborhood and that a civilian was killed and several others injured by bombardment on al-Bab city in the province.

The Observatory said anti-government protests erupted in several towns of Aleppo, noting that a massive one occurred in the Hanano neighborhood of the province, where protesters called for the downfall of the regime and demonstrated solidarity with the conflict-hit areas.

Other activists also reported that mortar shells slammed the Yarmouk camp for Palestinian refugees in Damascus, adding that two boys were killed.

The Local Coordination Committees, another activists' network, said 53 people had been killed on Friday alone across the country.

Yet, the activists' claim couldn't be verified independently.