6000 Syrians flee Damascus clashes

More than 6,000 Syrians fleeing clashes between troops and opposing fighters on the outskirts of Damascus, crossed the border into Lebanon early Monday, a Lebanese border official told dpa. The Masnaa border crossing was jammed with cars and buses, mostly carrying residents of the south-eastern Damascus suburb of Daraya, the official said. Some 300 people have been killed in Daraya in less than a week, according to opposition groups. One Syrian activist said government forces were shelling the suburb of Joubar in Damascus on Monday. In the north, opposing fighters said troops were bringing in reinforcements via the airport in Aleppo, as heavy clashes took place nearby.