Syria crisis: Three members of Assad inner circle killed in Damascus

Rebels said they shot down an army helicopter over the Syrian capital as one of their commanders confirmed that a battle to liberate Damascus had started, Reuters reports. Colonel Qassim Saadeddine, spokesman of the joint command of the Free Syrian Army inside Syria, said: “The Damascus battle has priority for us.” He confirmed that the battle had been dubbed the “Damascus volcano”. But other activists said the battle for the city had not begun. Abu Raed, a coordinator in Qaboun for the Free Syrian Army, the coalition of rebel fighters, told the New York Times: “It is more ebb and flow; these skirmishes are just a test as our fighters infiltrate then withdraw.”

• Rebels said they shot down an army helicopter over the Syrian capital as one of their commanders confirmed that a battle to liberate Damascus had started, Reuters reports. Colonel Qassim Saadeddine, spokesman of the joint command of the Free Syrian Army inside Syria, said: “The Damascus battle has priority for us.” He confirmed that the battle had been dubbed the “Damascus volcano”. But other activists said the battle for the city had not begun. Abu Raed, a coordinator in Qaboun for the Free Syrian Army, the coalition of rebel fighters, told the New York Times: “It is more ebb and flow; these skirmishes are just a test as our fighters infiltrate then withdraw.”

• The state news agency Sana continues to portray the rebels as terrorists, blaming them for a number of attacks in and around Damascus, including using residents as human shields. It said government forces inflicted “heavy losses in the terrorists’ ranks”.

• The UN security council is expected to vote later today on a UK drafted resolution that threatens Syria with sanctions in 10 days unless the Assad regime complies with a peace plan. Russia and China are expected to block proposals as they tie continuing the UN’s monitoring mission with chapter 7 of UN’s charter, Bloomberg reports.

But Russia has submitted its own, “enhanced,” draft resolution after president Vladimir Putin met Kofi Annan in Moscow yesterday, RIA Novosti reports. Alexander Pankin, Russia’s deputy ambassador to the UN said. “We have taken into account [in the enhanced draft] concerns over humanitarian situation, human rights and localized ceasefire. This idea has been discussed by Kofi Annan with the Syrian leadership in Damascus. It seems to be rather effective.”

• Manaf Tlass, a former Republican Guard who defected earlier this month, has signalled that he is willing to lead a transition government. He issued a statement to the French Press Agency in which he said:

“I sincerely hope that the blood stops flowing and that the country emerges from the crisis through a phase of constructive transition that guarantees Syria its unity, stability and security, as well as the aspirations of its people. I am ready like any other Syrian, with no other ambition, to fulfil my civic duty to contribute to a better future for my country, as much as I can, and like all those … who have already made many sacrifices”.