Damascus: Mid-day news update 4-11-13

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:

* [Regime forces] stormed into al-Rifaiah square and Ibrahim al-Khalil Mosque, near Hamish Hospital, in the Barzeh district. Regime forces have also stormed into alleys behind Ibin al-Ameed bakeries in Ruken al-Din district.

* [The regime] renews bombing on the industrial area in Qabon district.

* Heavy mortar and artillery bombardment on al-Hajar al-Aswad in Damascus. Meanwhile [government] choppers roamed the area.

Outer Damascus:

* Heavy clashes occurred between the FSA and the army near the Southern Highway and Zamalka. The town has been under rocket and mortar bombing since the morning. Meanwhile, the town of Ayen Tarma was shelled by a tank based on al-Maleyha Bridge.

* Six shells land on Harnet al-Gharibeh area in al-Tal City. Gunfire followed.

* The regime uses various heavy weapons to bomb the town of al-Otaybeh. Heavy clashes [between the army and the FSA] occurred around it.

* Heavy artillery and rocket bombardment targets the cities of Darayya and Mouadamiyah.

Politics:

* Russia announced an America-Russian agreement to push the Syrian opposition towards dialogue with the Syrian regime.

* UN diplomats say that talks with the Assad government about an investigation into chemical weapons use have reached a dead end. The UN cited disagreements over how the investigation should be carried out.

* Human Rights Watch accuses the Syrian Air Force of targeting hospitals, bakeries and other civilian sites. HRW called for ending the raids on civilians and called these actions crimes against humanity.