Assad: Fate of nation at stake

The conflict between rebels and government forces across Syria will decide the fate of the nation, President Bashar al-Assad has warned.

In a written statement marking armed forces day, he praised soldiers for confronting “armed terrorist gangs”. The anti-regime uprising has in recent weeks seen fighting on the streets of the capital, Damascus, and in the second city, Aleppo. Activists estimate some 20,000 people have died since March last year. The latest reports suggest fighting has broken out for the first time near a Christian area of the Old City of Damascus. In Aleppo, state media said government troops had inflicted heavy losses on the rebels and were mopping up remnants of terrorist groups. The UN confirmed that their observers had seen fighter jets firing on rebels in Aleppo on Tuesday. However, activists and reporters on the ground said rebels appeared to still have control over large parts of the city.