Damascus: Mid-day news update 5-2-13

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

Damascus:

* Car bomb explodes in Eastern Ruken a-Deen and the driver is killed.

* Regime forces bomb the gardens of Barzeh downtown with rocket-launchers.

* Heavy artillery bombardment on the district of Jobar.

Outer Damascus:

* Six airstrikes on the town of Melayha.

* Regime forces bombard the Eastern Highway area in Harasta; results in one death and a number of injuries.

* Several surface-to-surface missiles hit the town of al-Abbadah. The town was also bombed by the air force, as heavy clashes [between the army and the rebels] occurred around it.

* Mortar bombardment on the city of Saqba results in property damage.

* Heavy tank and artillery bombardment on the city of Zamalka. Fierce clashes occur between the FSA and regime forces near the Southern Highway in the city.

Politics:

* Jordanian sources told Aljazeera.net that King Abdullah warned the American President Barack Obama in their last meeting in Washington that Syria might be divided into enclaves if a solution is not found this year. He described the year as a “crucial” one for the Syrian crisis.