the opposition - linked group said .
rebels have made gains in the north and east and in the damascus suburbs , but mr. assad ’s government has pushed back beirut fighting raged across syria on monday with clashes reported just a few miles from where president bashar al - assad had unveiled a " peace plan " that syrians on both sides said would do nothing to end the country 's 21 - month - old uprising .
damascus residents said assad 's speech , which offered no concessions to his foes , was met with celebratory gunfire in pro - assad neighborhoods .
“ assad is not letting the friends of syria off the hook by making it easy for them to declare victory and close the syria file , ” mr. sayigh said .
moreover , mr. assad ’s defiance may prompt mr. brahimi to decline to continue his mission .
russia may find it harder to stave off international action against syria , which it has done so far using its veto at the united nations security council , as the chances for a political solution seem to recede .
taybet imam sits on an entrance to syria 's main north - south highway , close to the central city of hama .
hours after assad addressed cheering loyalists at the damascus opera house on sunday in his first public speech in months , fighting erupted near the road to the city 's international airport , the syrian observatory for human rights said .
“ he does n’t seem to have moved an inch since summer 2011 , ” said yezid sayigh , an analyst at the carnegie middle east center in beirut , noting that mr. assad gave “ barely the slightest nod ” to mr. brahimi ’s proposals .