Syrian army intensifies assault on central city of Homs

Rebel fighters scouting the area in Syria's central city of Homs Troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad seized several buildings on the edges of rebel-held districts of Homs as they pressed an eight-day assault on the central Syrian city, activists said on Saturday. Meanwhile, opposition sources claimed that several soldiers were killed in a bizarre friendly fire attack by Syrian troops on their own forces, before the offensive.
At the same time, Syrian bombardment of neighbourhoods east and south of Damascus showed no sign of easing, with violent clashes reported across several areas. It came as state television reported that forces had taken control of the industrial region of Qaboun.
Opposition activists in Homs reported intense battles in the city. In a bizarre incident, a government forces missile targeting Free Syrian Army's (FSA) fighters ?missed its target hit a group of government soldiers. Dozens were killed and injured in the attack, sources said.
Activists claimed that the regime had been using chemical weapons in Homs for more than a year. Dozens of deaths were reported with opposition groups citing inhalation of  "yellow ?gas" from bombs as a key factor.
Residents from Ghouta in eastern Damascus said that four women and a man were injured when aimless bullets and mortar shells were launched from the central tower.
An activist in Homs said that Syrian ?forces had made significant progress in areas controlled by the opposition in Homs, and occupied buildings after ?shelling the area with artillery missiles, forcing opposition fighters to flee.?
Taking control of the Khalidiya neighbourhood is considered one of the major gains by Syrian forces. The activist explained that the Syrian forces used rockets, mortar shells and guns to defeat rebels on Friday evening.
Meanwhile, in Damascus, Shaam News Network (SNN) said that government forced launched a fierce offensive on areas around Qaboun, including Jubar and Berzeh, while violent clashes had occurred in the neighbourhoods of al-Assali, Yarmouk camp and Qadam.
In the Rif Dimashq governorate, Syrian air force launched raids targeting the cities of Arbeen and ?Tariq al-Motahaleq, with heavy shelling reported on the cities and towns of Sayeda Zeinab, Zamalka, Daria, ?Maadameye al-Shaam, al Zeyabeyeh, Hassassneyeh camp, al-Bowaida and most eastern Gouta areas.
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said that government forces and the FSA had clashed in Qaboun, as the ?regime tried to push opposition fighters away from the capital. State television said that the government forces had succeeded in taking control of the area, adding ?that Assad's men cut the supply of weapons to the armed opposition in the suburbs of Jubar, Qaboun, Zamalka and Heresta.?
In Aleppo, SOHR said that a man drove a bomb-laden car into a government building in the town of ?Maaret al-Atiq, killing himself and dozens of Syrian soldiers. building with inside members of the governmental forces which left ?deaths and injuries.?
SNN reported further clashes across Syrian governorates. In ?Daraa, there was fighting near the National Hospital ?barrier near the station. In Idlib, military aircraft shelled al-Barra ?town, anti-rockets and heavy artillery also shelled the towns of Basnqoul, al-Bashiriyeh, most of the ?villages of Jabal al-Zawiya, and the villages of Sahl al-Rouj. In Deir Ezzor, heavy ?artillery shelling targeted the neighbourhoods across Deir Ezzor city, with clashes reported in al-Resafa and al-Senaa.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Syria opposition sources said that those attacking the rebels were now wearing either a fully white or fully black costume, ?with Husseiniyah bands at the front, suggesting that there had been a split between Hezbollah, ?the Iranians and the so called National Defence Army (Shabiha).
The sources added that the accent of many of these fighters is Lebanese, with some speaking Persian.
Activists also claimed that rockets used by the Syrian army in Khalidiya were six metres long, and ?different in shape than the rockets previously used.
The Syrian Media Centre claimed that chemical weapons were being used in Homs. An eyewitness said that government forces "didn't leave a weapon unused in the ?city," adding that Homs neighbourhoods were pounded with "mortar shells, air raids, grad rockets and oxygen tanks."
According to SOHR, an ammunitions depot belonging to the government in Latakia countryside was blown up by rebels.
"The explosions rocked an area near al-Sameya ?village, east Latakia, which was discovered to be the result of the explosion of ammunition storages ?near a governmental forces brigade," SOHR said.