Heavy fighting in Douma, Syria

I've just got back from Douma, Syria where I witnessed very heavy fighting. The Syrian army was bombarding an area with artillery and mortars. Tanks were also firing.

There were very loud explosions in Douma, as shells landed. It was clear there were gun battles with two sides involved. Syrian troops told me one tank was destroyed by a rocket-propelled grenade.

I saw an Syrian army tank firing in Douma at target who had just launched a rocket-propelled grenade. Syrian troops told me: "it's very,very dangerous."

Syrian troops based at a hospital on the edge of Douma showed me their damaged vehicles and tanks that had been hit by rocket-propelled grenade and gunfire.They said they had lost many men as a result.

I witnessed fighting and shelling in Douma for an hour before we fled as gunfire and battle came very, very close to us as bullets were flying around us.

Huge plumes of black smoke billowed out from the southern end of Douma where there was continuous fighting and some very heavy exchanges for almost an hour.