Syrian forces pound rebel-held areas of Damascus

BEIRUT (AP) — Syrian activists are reporting heavy government shelling and air raids in Damascus and its suburbs.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says government troops have shelled the northern neighborhoods of Jobar, Barzeh and Qaboun of the capital. It also reported an air raid Tuesday on the Damascus suburb of Mleiha.

Maath al-Shami, an activist based in the suburb of eastern Ghouta, says there were several airstrikes in the area.

The Observatory also reported heavy shelling of rebel-held areas in the central city of Homs and the northern city of Aleppo, Syria's largest and former commercial center.

The U.N. says more than 70,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict began in March 2011.

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Syrian opposition head visits rebel areas in north

BEIRUT (AP) — The chief of the Syrian National Coalition has, for the first time, visited rebel-held areas near the embattled city of Aleppo in northern Syria.

Aleppo, the nation's largest city, has been a major front in the nearly 2-year-old conflict. Government forces and rebels have been locked in a stalemate there since July.

Mouaz al-Khatib met Sunday with Syrians living in two suburbs of Aleppo that are controlled by the opposition.

A coalition statement says the goal of his trip to Manbah and Jarablus was to inspect the living conditions of residents there.

The opposition controls large swathes of land around Aleppo, and several areas within the city while the government maintains controls of others.

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