Syrian forces bombard Aleppo,rebels capture air facility

Activists also said rebels captured an air defence facility in the east of the country near the border with Iraq,where opposition forces have claimed advances over the past days.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the clashes in Aleppo were concentrated in several tense neighborhoods Hanano,Bustan al-Qasr,Sukkari and Maysar. It reported injuries and damage to buildings.

Another activist group,the Local Coordination Committees,said the government was using heavy warplanes in attacking the rebel areas.

Activists said this was the second day of a rebel push in Aleppo,dubbed Northern Volcano,targeting security facilities in the city and the surrounding province,including an artillery training school,a compound of the feared air force intelligence,and a large army checkpoint.

Government forces have regained most of the Damascus area but are being held at bay in Aleppo.