Syrian government troops and opposition were Sunday battling for control of key military installations in the northern province of Halab (Aleppo), dpa reported. The fighting was taking place near a military academy named after President Bashar Al-Assad, and a government intelligence building, added the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Fighting was also raging in the vicinity of a military airport in the outskirts of Halab, added the organization. At least eight people, including three children, were killed when government warplanes bombarded the town of al-Safira, in south-eastern Halab, according to the Observatory. The two sides have been fighting for months in Halab, Syria'sbiggest city, with rebels claiming major gains. In other developments, activists said at least eight civilians were killed in a raid by government jets against the Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp, south of Damascus, where state media said some rebels had taken shelter.
