Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka)

FIERCE FIGHTING NEAR DAMASCUS AHEAD OFTRUCE:MONITORS

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DAMASCUS, April 5, 2012 (AFP) -

Monitors said fierce clashes between Syrian forces and rebels erupted near Damascus Thursday ahead of an agreed truce.

The Syrian Observator­y for Human Rights said regime troops backed by tanks stormed Douma, located some 13 kilometres (seven miles) northeast of the capital, at dawn amid heavy gunfire and shelling.the Britain-based group said clashes between soldiers and rebel forces were reported in various parts of the town.plumes of

A total of 1,043 Syrians made their way to Turkey in a single day

smoke could be seen rising near Douma's main mosque as troop reinforcem­ents were sent in, the Observator­y said.

Violence across the country has left at least 170 people dead so far this week despite a pledge by President Bashar al-assad to implement by April 10 a six-point peace plan brokered by Un-arab League envoy Kofi Annan.the surge in violence has sent Syrians fleeing, with an official in Ankara saying on Thursday that more than 1,000 people had crossed the border in the past 24 hours, bringing to nearly 21,000 the number of Syrian refugees now in Turkey.“a total of 1,043 Syrians made their way to Turkey in a single day, marking the highest figure in recent times,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

Former UN chief Annan said Monday that Assad had agreed to start “immediatel­y” pulling out troops as per the terms of the peace plan.

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