Warplanes hit Syria's second city New

Fighter jets have bombed eastern areas of Syria's second city of Aleppo, a BBC reporter nearby says, in a significant escalation of the conflict.

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 24 July 2012 Last updated at 14:54 GMT

Syria conflict: Aleppo bombed by fighter planes

Rebels launched an offensive against Aleppo at the weekend

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Syria conflict

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Fighter jets have bombed eastern areas of Syria's second city Aleppo, a BBC reporter near the city says.

The attack is seen as a significant escalation in the conflict.
It is thought to be the first time that warplanes have been used in Aleppo, our correspondent says.
Rebels launched an offensive against Aleppo at the weekend in an attempt to wrest control of the city from the army. Fierce fighting has been reported close to Aleppo's historic Old City.
Helicopter gunships were reportedly involved in the clashes earlier on Tuesday, the BBC's Ian Pannell says from the outskirts of Aleppo.
Pro-government troops bombarded the city, Syria's commercial centre, with shells and rocket fire as the government attempted to take back districts seized by the rebels.
A French correspondent there has spoken of rebels besieging a police headquarters close to the walls of the Old City, which is a world heritage site.
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Government forces have already regained control of most areas of Damascus that were captured by rebels last week. There are unconfirmed reports of troops carrying out raids on the Qadam and Assali areas of the city.

State television has broadcast video of soldiers apparently securing and checking heavily shelled suburbs in the south of the capital.
The battle for Aleppo, Syria's most populous city, appears to have spread to much of the city, with rebels claiming control of several areas.
The violence on Tuesday claimed the lives of 80 people in Syria, according to the opposition Local Co-ordination Committees, including 20 in Aleppo.
Thirteen people died in a revolt in Aleppo prison, activists said, when security forces reportedly opened fire and used tear gas on detainees.
Explosions and fires have also been reported from the jail in the city of Homs, where unarmed policemen were said to have defected and prisoners to have staged a sit-in.COPY : http://www.bbc.co.uk/