Assad forces pound Aleppo, declare Damascus victory (Reuters)

[pinto]

Assad forces pound Aleppo, declare Damascus victory

By Erika Solomon
Aleppo, Syria | Sun Jul 29, 2012 5:06pm EDT

(Reuters) - The government of Bashar al-Assad declared victory on Sunday in a hard-fought battle for Syria's capital Damascus, and pounded rebels who control parts of its largest city Aleppo.

Assad's forces have struggled as never before to maintain their grip on the country over the past two weeks after a major rebel advance into the two largest cities and an explosion that killed four top security officials.

Government forces have succeeded in reimposing their grip on the capital after a punishing battle, but rebels are still in control of sections of Aleppo, clashing with reinforced army troops for several days.

"Today I tell you, Syria is stronger... In less than a week they were defeated (in Damascus) and the battle failed," Foreign Minister Walid Moualem said on a visit to Iran, Assad's main ally in a region where other neighbors have forsaken him.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/07/29/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE8610SH20120729

[leveymg]

1. Calls for "no-fly zone" and protected FSA border enclave in 3-2-1 . . .

[greatauntoftriplets]

2. According to ABC News....

it's being called "the mother of all battles".

[pinto]

3. Yeah, this seems the crux of the Syrian conflict, one way or the other.

Sad. It's a country with a long, long history. I hope it resolves sooner than later.