Syrian Observatory: Air Strike, Clashes Near Damascus

The Syrian military carried out an air strike on suburbs of the capital as rebels clashed on the ground with soldiers on Monday, a monitoring group said.

"A fighter bomber carried out a raid on Daraya as rebels and soldiers fought on the ground, while artillery bombed Moadamiyet al-Sham," said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, referring to two towns south of Damascus.

The Britain-based group said the air force also overflew Eastern Ghouta, an area where rebels have set up rear bases amid its orchards, it said.

The military has for several days bombarded rebel strongholds in the suburbs from ground and air, raising fears of a looming ground assault by the army to try to establish a secure cordon around the capital.

The Observatory also reported clashes and bombardment in the northern province of Aleppo, the central region of Homs and Deir Ezzor to the east where at least one rebel was killed.

On Sunday, dozens of people died in violence across Syria, said the Observatory, which relies on a countrywide network of activists and medics to compile its information.