Forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad unleashed on Saturday their heaviest artillery and rocket barrage yet in a week-long battle to dislodge rebels from a strategic western town, activists said.
Ugarit News via AP video/Associated Press - In this image from amateur video obtained by a group which calls itself Ugarit News, shows rebel fighters celebrating after purportedly capturing an army base in Nairab, northwestern Syria, Thursday, May 23, 2013. The video is consistent with independent AP reporting. Rebel fighters captured an army base late Wednesday, a rare victory after a series of battlefield setbacks, the Britain-
Pro-Assad troops, including fighters from the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, have been trying to push rebels out of Qusair. They have gained ground, but rebels have clung to some positions.