Syrian rebels shelled government-held districts of Aleppo Sunday and detonated a government building in the city as part of a surge against regime positions, killing and wounding dozens of people.

Aleppo is divided between government and opposition control, and both rebel bombardments and regime airstrikes have intensified recently.

The bombing, which rocked the city, was part of a campaign by rebels to push back against regime attempts to take opposition-controlled parts of Syria's former largest city.

The fight for Aleppo is particularly important now, with analysts saying they expect Assad's forces will try wrest as much of the city as possible before elections.

Another 45 people were killed throughout Aleppo province in Saturday's violence, including 12 rebel fighters killed in clashes with regime troops and paramilitaries.

In Deraa, some 90 rebel and regime forces were killed in two days of clashes over strategic sites near the village of Nawa, the Observatory said Saturday.

It said 45 opposition fighters and 43 regime forces had been killed in the fighting that began Thursday, which saw rebels seize the Tal al-Jabieh army post and seize weapons and ammunition.

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