Syria Adds Troops to Aleppo Fight

Syrian opposition activists say the government has sent troop reinforcements to the city of Aleppo, where fierce fighting between rebels and the military continued for a fifth day.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said clashes were taking place Wednesday in several Aleppo neighborhoods, and that Syrian forces were using helicopters.

The Observatory says at least eight people were killed by shelling and gunfire in Aleppo province, Hama and Idlib. Activists say government forces on Wednesday also shelled the Damascus suburb of al-Tel.

More than 100,000 people have fled the violence in Syria since the nation’s uprising began in March of last year. Activists say more than 19,000 people have been killed.

Meanwhile, officials in neighboring Turkey said the country was closing its border crossings with Syria beginning Wednesday because of worsening security conditions.