Members of the Free Syrian Army. Photo: World Defence News.

Times of Israel — Heavy fighting between forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad and rebels continued past the scheduled start of a proposed truce on Friday, activists said, dimming prospects for a break in the bloody 19-month civil war.

Battles were still in progress Friday morning, the beginning of a four-day Muslim holiday that was to coincide with the ceasefire, and activists reported eight dead from government fire on the outskirts of Homs, Damascus, and near the Syrian-Turkish border.

Read full story.