DAMASCUS: MID-DAY NEWS UPDATE 7-02-2013

Damascus

* The Free Army targeted the main operations room of the regime’s forces on Ishara Hill, behind the Tashreen Military Hospital, with several mortar shells. Injuries were reported.

* Thorough inspections reported at security checkpoints all around the city, including inspections of car trunks, causing massive traffic buildups around the capital.

 * A correspondent reports that pedestrians at mobile checkpoint had their cell phones and Facebook accounts inspected, leading to a number of arrests. 

 * The Free Army targeted a regime facility in Barzeh that purports to be for scientific research, using B10 cannons.

Outer Damascus

* Residential neighborhoods in Yalda faced violent regime shelling, with more than 30 mortar shells reported.

* The checkpoint in the town of Harnat al-Sharqiya alerted residents this morning that they will need to present their electric and water bills from now on in order to pass through.

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.