Fresh clashes in Syria ahead of UN mission

Fierce clashes have been reported between Syrian government forces and opposition fighters in Douma, near the capital Damascus, and in other parts of the country, amid doubts over the government’s declared commitment to an imminent ceasefire deadline.The continuing violence comes as a UN monitoring team, led by Major General Robert Mood, is expected in Damascus on Thursday to review the government’s promise of a troop withdrawal to army bases by April 10.Major-General Mood is a former chief of staff of the Norwegian armed forces and former head of the UN’s Jerusalem-based UNTSO Middle East peacekeeping mission.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said on Thursday that Syrian troops backed by tanks stormed Douma at dawn amid heavy gunfire and shelling.The UK-based activist group said clashes between soldiers and rebel forces were reported in various parts of the city, located about 13 kilometres northeast of the capital.Plumes of smoke could be seen rising near the city’s main mosque as troop reinforcements were sent in, the Observatory said.Violence across the country has left at least 170 people dead so far this week despite a pledge by President Bashar al-Assad to implement a peace plan brokered by UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan. Annan is expected to visit Iran on Aprill 11 to discuss the peace efforts with the nation’s leaders, who have been steadfast in their support for the Assad government.Two young men were killed in Kfar Sousa, a neighbourhood of Damascus, early on Thursday when security forces opened fire on their car, the Observatory said.Russia warningFive soldiers were meanwhile killed in two separate attacks in the northern province of Aleppo and in southern Deraa, cradle of the revolt that broke out last year in March against Assad’s government. Clashes were also reported in several towns of Aleppo province.