New footage reportedly filmed by Syrian rebels has given viewers a glimpse into the ferocity and increasing scale of the fighting in the war-torn nation.
The David and Goliath struggle between the SAA (Syrian Arab Army) loyal to President Bashar al Assad and the FSA (Free Syrian Army) has stepped up a notch as rebel forces attempt to fight back against Syrian armor.
The first piece of footage shows two Syrian T-72 tanks maneuvering through destroyed streets while shelling rebel positions and then being fired upon by rebel anti-tank weapons.
The second piece of footage shows FSA fighters using a captured Syrian T55 to dual with Syrian forces. The tank, however, suffers a direct hit from an anti-tank weapon shortly after arriving on the front line.
The third clip, however, shows that the FSA are in some cases managing scoring successes. A T72 tank, filmed by rebel forces, is seen tracking back and forth along a road in Damascus before a successful hit is scored on it. At 1:48, a man, thought to be a surviving member of the tank crew, can be seen sprinting away.
Casualties of all incidents are unknown.
Western governments have been reluctant to offer significant military aid to the ragtag rebel forces to help them combat the more heavily-armed and better-equipped SAA. The most recent stumbling block has been the proliferation of Islamic fundamentalist groups inside the FSA. Recent reports suggest foreign fighters numbering in the tens of thousands have been streaming into the country from all over the Islamic world.