Hopes Dim for Syrian Cease-Fire

Government attacks and fierce fighting continued in Syria Tuesday as hopes grew slimmer for a cease-fire during this week's Muslim holiday.

The opposition Syrian Observatory of Human Rights said that Syrian warplanes raided a neighborhood in the northern city of Aleppo and rebels forces were reported battling government forces in several parts of the country.

The Observatory said one rebel was killed in fighting in Aleppo and the French News Agency said at least two rebels were killed in skirmishes outside Damascus. There were reports of gunfire in the capital.

Clashes were also reported in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor and in Daraa, southern Syria.

The fighting comes days ahead of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha during which peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has proposed a cease-fire. The U.N. peacekeeping chief said he is preparing in case a cease-fire takes hold in Syria.

Herve Ladsous told reporters Monday it is premature to discuss the size of a potential peacekeeping force, and that efforts remain focused on U.N.-Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi's push to establish a break in the fighting.

But Arab League Deputy Secretary-General Ahmed Ben Helli said Monday there is "slim" hope of the truce being implemented.

And the Associated Press reported that the leader of the main Syrian opposition group said a cease-fire is doubtfu, partly because the plan is too vague.

Abdulbaset Sieda, head of the opposition Syrian National Council, said the rebels would be willing to stop fighting but he doubts the Syrian government will honor the cease-fire and that Brahimi doesn't have "any mechanism to observe the situation."

Amnesty 

Also Tuesday, Syrian state television said President Bashar al-Assad has issued a new amnesty, giving a pardon to those who committed crimes before October 23.

The Syrian government has made numerous amnesty offers since the conflict began in March 2011, typically stipulating that the pardons do not include those who took part in killings.

Cluster bombs 

Cluster bombs, which activists say were fired by a Syrian Air Force fighter jet loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, are displayed near a laptop in Qasseer near Homs, October 18, 2012.

​​Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch again insisted there is evidence that Syrian forces are using cluster bombs as part of an "intensifying air campaign" against rebel-held areas.

The group said Tuesday that the government denies it uses cluster bombs, but that photos, videos and victim interviews show an increasing use of the bombs during the past two weeks.