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 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A sheet hangs across an alley way to shield fighters from sniper fire as a fighter of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine General Command walks past destroyed buildings in the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus, Syria, on September 12. Hide Caption 92 of 222 
 
 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Syrian soldier walks down a street in Damascus on Saturday, August 24. ALEPPO, Syria Syrian army tanks shelled Aleppo and a helicopter gunship strafed rebel positions with heavy machinegun fire as they fought into early Monday for control of the country's biggest city and key battleground of the 17-month uprising. Hide Caption 149 of 222 
 
 Photos: Unrest in Syria Syrian civil war in photos – A Free Syrian Army fighter walks between buildings damaged during Syrian Air Force strikes in Damascus on January 19.
– Assad's forces continue to pound Aleppo today, with state TV announcing that the regime is "cleansing the terrorist filth" from the country. Reuters reports that tanks are shelling the city as a helicopter sprays the rebels with machine-gun fire, and a correspondent there reported violent street fighting in the Salaheddine district. But things may be poised to get worse, with Reuters and CNN both hearing from rebels who say two large columns of government troops are on the march toward the city. "We know they are planning to attack using tanks and aircraft, shooting at us for three to four days and they plan to take the city," says one commander who expects the attack to come "within days." In other Syria news: The AP reports that the government yesterday claimed it was now in full control of all districts in Damascus after purging one of the last rebel-held areas. But several residents reported hearing loud explosions and gunfire from several districts of the capital throughout the night. Syria's first man in space today fled to Turkey and joined opposition forces there, reports the AP. It was Mohammed Ahmed Faris' fourth attempt to defect, says Turkey. A pan-Arab TV station aired a video today purporting to show Syrian rebels guarding a group of 48 Iranians abducted a day earlier and promising more attacks on Iranian targets. Armed men in the video claim the Iranians were on a "reconnaissance mission" in Damascus at the time they were abducted. Iran says they are pilgrims who were visiting a shrine.