Syrian rebels launch offensive against airbase

Rebels in Syria say they have launched a major offensive to capture a key airbase in the north of the country.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based anti-government rights group, said "heavy fighting" had broken out near the airport in Idlib province, where rebels have made significant gains in recent days. A video posted on the internet showed fighters attacking the base in an attempt to control a strategic zone between Syria's two biggest cities, Aleppo and Damascus. The Syrian government had also intensified air strikes on the suburbs of the capital Damascus, an activist told the AFP news agency.

Rights groups and the UN say rebels and forces loyal to Assad have both committed war crimes during the 19-month-old conflict.

The conflict in Syria began with protests against Assad and has spiralled into a civil war which the UN says has left 32,000 people dead and which threatens to drag in regional powers.

Listen to regional correspondent Nathan Morley’s full report: