Assad troops hit back in Aleppo

Syria has sent thousands of troops surging towards the city of Aleppo, where government forces are trying to reclaim areas held by rebels, opposition sources say.

A spokesman for rebel Free Syrian Army said troops had been moved from the north-western province of Idlib to fight in Aleppo.

Fighter jets and helicopters attacked targets in the east of the city and reports said thousands of troops were being moved to counter the threat.

Syrian army helicopters reportedly fired rockets and machineguns near central Aleppo on Tuesday as they battled rebels trying to enlarge their foothold in the city, forcing residents to flee.

Residents said fighter jets were flying over some opposition-held neighbourhoods, and that helicopters were firing at eastern and southern parts of the city located around only 3km east of Aleppo's ancient citadel in the city centre.

A commercial hub and home to 2.5 million people, Aleppo recently became a new front in the country's 16-month uprising, after being largely excluded from the violence.

Elsewhere in the province, residents accused government troops of indiscriminately firing on the town of al-Jinah.

Amateur video obtained by Reuters news agency appeared to show the aftermath of fighting in which residents said three people were killed and another wounded when a car was hit by a mortar shell.

Opposition activists said government troops and rebels have fought fierce battles in the area.

A general and former aide to President Assad has appeared publicly for the first time since he fled this month.

Brig-Gen Manaf Tlas confirmed he had defected to the Syrian opposition.

In a video statement broadcast on al-Arabiya TV, he appealed to Syrians to "unite to build a free democratic Syria".

Brig-Gen Tlas's decision to abandon Bashar al-Assad had been seen as significant as they were once close friends and he commanded a brigade of the elite Republican Guards.

His whereabouts are still unclear, although he is thought to be in Paris with his family.