The Syrian offensive backed by tanks and heavy shelling managed to
advance into the rebel held district of Qaboun.
Activists have said that the Syrian army has detained hundreds of civilians in public places in order to prevent rebels from attacking them.
The push into the rebel held district of Qaboun is part of a wide army offensive to reclaim districts just outside Damascus. As part of the offensive, Syrian troops had also managed to
advance into another district, Jobar, with the Syrian army saying that 60% of the district was under their control yesterday.
A car bomb was also
detonated in a town north of Damascus, the car bomb struck the police headquarters, leaving at least 10 policemen dead, and at least one child according to activists.
Car bombings as well as suicide bombings in Syria have been the hallmarks of Al-Qaeda linked rebels, who have imported their similar tactics from Iraq into Syria.