ARA News

Damascus, Syria – At least 20 members of the pro-regime military forces were killed and dozens others were injured Friday, due to clashes with rebel fighters of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) and the Islamic factions in the town of Maliha in eastern Ghouta of the Damascus countryside.

Speaking to ARA News in Damascus, the civil rights activist Qusay Diab said that clashes broke out between fighters from the Umma Army of the FSA and the pro-regime forces in Maliha, following an attempt by the rebels to control several neighborhoods in the town.

“The clashes ended with the Umma Army’s control of several sites, killing 22 members of the pro-Assad forces and wounding several others,” Diab said, adding that the regime forces targeted close to the town of Bala near Damascus with ground to ground missiles.

Also in Damascus, civil rights activist Yezen Ibrahim told ARA News that the pro-regime forces killed Iyad Mabrouka, the director of the Media Center in the Barzeh neighborhood of Damascus, on Thursday.

Mabrouka’s death coincided with clashes between the pro-regime forces and fighters from the FSA in the neighborhood of  Qaboun, amid artillery shelling by the regime forces (stationed on Mount Qassioun). 

The opposition-linked Local Council in Barzeh demanded the international coalition stop the violations of the regime against the people of the neighborhood, vowing to break the truce agreement signed between the two parties. 

Reporting by: Jawad al-Ali

Source: ARA News