15:46•Updated 15:50
In Syria, the rebels say they have begun to besiege the capital Damascus, news agency AFP reports.
– Our troops have started the last phase of the siege of the capital Damascus, commented the rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense denies claims that government forces have withdrawn from positions near the capital.
Earlier on Saturday, the rebels said they had captured, among other things, the town of Al-Sanamay, which is located about 20 kilometers from Damascus. It has not been possible to confirm the rebels’ claims about the advance from neutral sources.
Source: AFP