DAMASCUS: MID-DAY NEWS UPDATE 5-24-13

Damascus:

* Renewed artillery bombardment on the district of Barzeh. Al-Kadam district in the south was bombed with mortars as well. The rest of the capital is relatively calm.

Outer Damascus:

* Activists say that regime forces have targeted the town of Adra with toxic gases, as suffocation cases were recorded among civilians.

* The FSA counters an attack of regime forces as they attempt to recapture al-Mazabel checkpoint in the town of Halboun, causing them many losses.

* Rocket-launchers and choppers bomb the village of Falita in al-Kalamoon. Artillery bombardment targets al-Nabik, Yabroud, Jarad Ifra and the mountains around Barada Valley as well.

* Rocket and artillery bombardment target the cities of Zamalka and Irbin as clashes continue on the Southern Highway.

* Sporadic fighting on the frontlines of Daraa, intensified along the southern and western frontlines.

* Heavy bombardment from the 4th division posts on the mountain continues against the city of Moadamiya.

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.