▁central ▁district ▁of ▁F ard ous , ▁despite ▁continued ▁bomb ard ment . ▁Kur d ish ▁f igh ters , ▁who ▁had ▁gained ▁control ▁over ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁northern ▁districts ▁of ▁She ikh ▁Ma q s ud ▁and ▁Al - A sh raf i ya , ▁cl ashed ▁with ▁Sy rian ▁troops ▁a ▁day ▁after ▁they ▁attacked ▁a ▁Kur d ish ▁con voy ▁on ▁the ▁air port ▁road . ▁ ▁Sal ah ed d ine ▁ra id ▁▁ ▁On ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁ 2 8 ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Army ▁started ▁an ▁attack ▁against ▁Sal ah ed d ine ▁district , ▁which ▁held ▁the ▁largest ▁concentration ▁of ▁reb els . ▁The ▁assault ▁comm enced ▁with ▁an ▁eight - hour ▁art illery ▁bomb ard ment , ▁which ▁started ▁at ▁four ▁in ▁the ▁morning , ▁after ▁which ▁t anks ▁and ▁ground ▁troops ▁moved ▁in . ▁During ▁the ▁cl ash es , ▁reb els , ▁providing ▁un ver ified ▁video ▁foot age , ▁claimed ▁to ▁have ▁shot ▁down ▁a ▁government ▁hel ic opter ▁gun ship , ▁a ▁rare ▁fe at . ▁Reb els ▁also ▁claimed ▁that ▁ 8 – 1 0 ▁t anks ▁and ▁arm ored ▁vehicles ▁were ▁destroyed . ▁Reb el ▁forces ▁attacked ▁a ▁strateg ic ▁police ▁station ▁in ▁the ▁city ▁center ▁for ▁the ▁third ▁day , ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁link ▁up ▁with ▁opposition ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁n ort he astern ▁Sak hour ▁district ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁front . ▁By ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁day , ▁the ▁reb