Damascus: Mid-day news update 5-17-13

The mid-day news update is provided by Shahed News, a network of vetted Syrian citizen journalists providing independent, accurate and reliable news from Damascus and its suburbs.

Damascus:

* Sounds of the bombardment on Barzeh downtown area with heavy and medium weapons are being heard. [Regime forces] bomb the area with MiG jets, 57mm artillery batteries, mortars, and 23mm machine guns.

* A large explosion was reported in Bagdad Street area.

Outer Damascus:

* Smokes rise above Yabroud after MiG airstrikes. The city was targeted with rocket-launchers as several people were injured in addition to property damage. Panic and fear spreads among citizens. Regime forces target the industrial area with a missile.

* One killed and several injured in Adra as regime forces target it with toxic gas.

* Yusra Muhammad Shahadah Seddik, a 15-year-old, killed in the bombing on a-Sahel village in al-Kalamoon.