Syrian rebels claim helicopter base near Damascus

“God is great”. It is a chant from members of the Free Syrian Army which resonates across the Turkish border in a show of strength to a group of Kurdish fighters. The FSA has clashed with their former allies in some parts of northeastern Syria in a bid to gain control of towns and villages.

It is a strategic conflict to push the Kurds out of the area. They claimed success in the city of Ras al-Ayn.

Another gain too which Syrian rebels have reportedly made is a helicopter base 15 kilometres from Damascus. Activists say they destroyed two helicopters and took 15 prisoners.

To the east of the capital a Syrian government air strike has killed 10 children. A video posted on the Internet showed residents collecting bodies hit by shrapnel.

Neither of these reports could be independently verified.

Dmitry Medvedev has fired a diplomatic warning to Paris saying France’s recognition of the rebels is “totally unacceptable under international law,”.
The Russian prime minister starts a working visit to France on Monday evening.

Francois Hollande met with the head of the Syrian National coalition Mouaz Alkhatib last week when France became the first European power to recognise the group as the sole representative of the Syrian people.

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