5 killed in rebels' mortar shelling on Damascus

DAMASCUS, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed on Tuesday by intensifying rebels' mortar shelling against residential areas in the capital Damascus at a time when battles are flaring up in the eastern countryside of the capital Damascus, a local source said.

The rebels fired over 20 mortar rounds, targeting neighborhoods in eastern Damascus as well as the old city. The intensified attack left 30 wounded, a medical source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The renewed attack came amid intense battles that raged on in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus on Tuesday, mainly in the city of Harasta, where the army is fighting against the al-Qaida-linked Levant Liberation Committee (LLC), previously known as the Nusra Front.

The battles in Harasta have been raging for over a week, since the LLC and allied militant groups unleashed an offensive against a key military base there.

The rebels managed to lay a siege to the Vehicles Management base in Harasta before the Syrian forces launched a counter-offensive and broke the siege on Sunday.

Rebels in the area are fighting to push back the army to restore their siege.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitor group said airstrikes and shelling on rebel-held areas in Eastern Ghouta on Tuesday killed and wounded 45 people.

The base is the largest military facility in the Eastern Ghouta region, stretching from Harasta to Arbeen area.

It hosts a large number of soldiers, including Republican Guards, as well as big weapon depots.

During the war, the base has become a major operation center and supply facility for the Syrian forces inside the Eastern Ghouta region, which has many towns and neighborhoods. Enditem