Damascus sees fierce clashes in after rebels tunnel into government-held areas

Fierce clashes broke out in the Syrian capital on Sunday after insurgents infiltrated government-held parts of the city through tunnels overnight in a rare advance.

The rebels have experienced steady losses elsewhere in the country for several months, but Sunday’s offensive brought them close to the heart of the Old City of Damascus.

The assault began early on Sunday with car bombs and suicide attacks, activists said. State media said secret tunnels were also used.

Government forces responded with intense bombardments of rebel-held areas. Government warplanes launched more than 30 air strikes on rebel positions, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group of activists monitoring the conflict.

The escalation marked a bid by the rebels to relieve army pressure on besieged areas they control to the east of the capital.

Moderate Free Syrian Army (FSA) and jihadist groups were both involved in the assault on the districts of Jobar and Abbasiyin, some 2 km East of the Old City walls.

Damascus only has a few opposition-held areas, and Jobar is the closest to the city centre. Control of the war-damaged area - which is split between rebels and jihadists on one side and government forces on the other - has been fought over for more than two years.

The attack comes just days before a fresh round of UN-brokered peace talks in Geneva aiming at ending Syria's six-year war.

Rebels and government forces had agreed to a nationwide cessation of hostilities in December, but fighting has continued across much of the country, including in the capital.