4 Turks killed in clashes with Syrian troops

DAMASCUS - Four Turks were among other gunmen, who were killed Saturday by the Syrian troops near Syria's northwestern province of Idlib, the state-TV said, as clashes and violence continued elsewhere.

The confrontation took place at the town of Taftanas in the countryside of Idlib, the state-TV said.

The Syrian government has repeatedly accused Turkey of facilitating the inroads of armed groups into Syria.

Meanwhile, the raging clashes between the government troops and the armed rebels in the northern province of Aleppo have taken the lion's share of the headlines Saturday.

The state-run SANA news agency said the Syrian troops have carried out qualitative operations at Sheikh Lutfi district in Aleppo, killing and injuring scores of "terrorists" -- a term used by the Syrian government to brand the rebels.

The troops also killed scores of armed men at the districts of al-Sakhour, Khan al-Asal and near al-Hamza mosque in Aleppo.

In Tal al-Zarazir area, 22 armed men were killed by the Syrian troops, according to SANA.

Meanwhile, a Syrian military source stressed Saturday that the Syrian troops have wrested back control over two rebel-held areas in the fighting-stricken Aleppo province.

The unnamed source, who was quoted by SANA, said the Syrian troops are in full control over the al-Amirieh and Tal Zarazir districts in Aleppo.

"Our forces will proceed in eliminating the terrorist mercenaries in all areas of Aleppo," the source said.

The battles in Aleppo, Syria's largest city and commercial hub, have been raging since Thursday when the armed rebels announced the commencement of the "decisive battle" in a bid to bring down Aleppo.

Despite their threats, the rebels managed to ramp up the chaos in Aleppo and elsewhere, but so far have failed to make big achievements on ground.

However, the intense fighting has further started to threat the old heritage of the city.

In a video posted by activists onto YouTube, huge fire that apparently resulted from the intense clashes in Aleppo has engulfed the medieval marketplace, whose labyrinth of narrow alleys and shops was a stomping ground for tourists.

The old souks are also regarded by the UNESCO as world heritage.

The video also showed the fire while eating the old wooden doors of the old shops that sell everything such as foodstuff, fabrics, perfumes, spices and artisan souvenirs, while making its way up to cloud the sky over the old part of the city.

Many ancient sites in other Syrian cities have also got caught in the crossfire between government troops and the armed rebels, who are showing an wavering resolve to wobble the government grip on power by waging the war of attrition on many fronts.

Meanwhile, the oppositional Britain-Based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that more than 70 Syrians have been killed so far Saturday.

It said the death includes 31 unarmed civilians, six of whom were children, 16 rebel fighters, a defected lieutenant and no less than 26 government forces.

Also, intense violence engulfed Saturday near the Syrian capital of Damascus, as clashes and gunfire escalated during the day in the suburbs of Qudsiah, Harasta and Barzeh, according to witnesses, who said many residents of Qudsiah opted to leave their homes in anticipation of intense fighting.

In Harasta, clashes renewed and the situation "doesn't bode well," a witness said.

In Barzeh, intense clashes were reported to have been taking place at the orchard area connecting Barzeh to Harasta.

Clashes in the suburbs of Damascus have become increasingly common despite the lull every now and then in those areas.

Meanwhile, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem resumed official meetings at the UN headquarter in New York on Saturday on the sidelines of the 67th session of the UN General Assembly, the foremost of which is his meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN-Arab League joint special envoy to Syria, who is roaming the influential countries in order to come up with a workable peace plan to Syria after his predecessor Kofi Annan failed to materialize that.

According to SANA, al-Moallem discussed with Brahimi his mission in Syria, stressing that the success of Brahimi's mission depends basically on stopping supporting, funding and arming the " armed terrorist groups" as a way to start the national dialogue.

Al-Moallem reiterated Syria's welcome of any constructive efforts exerted by Brahimi and readiness to provide all facilitations to make his mission a success.