Syrian rebels battled Bashar al-Assad’s forces on the edge of central Damascus yesterday, opposition activists said, seeking to break his grip over districts leading to the heart of the capital.

Their offensive aims to break a stalemate in the city of two million people, where artillery and air strikes have prevented opposition fighters entrenched to the east from advancing despite their capture of army fortifications, the activists said.

“We have moved the battle to Jobar,” said Captain Islam Alloush of the rebel Islam Brigade, referring to a district that links rebel strongholds in the eastern suburbs with the central Abbasid Square in the heart of Damascus.

“The heaviest fighting is taking place in Jobar because it is the key to the heart of Damascus.”

Assad, battling to crush a 22-month-old uprising in which 60,000 people have died, has lost control of large parts of the country but his forces, backed by air power, have so far kept rebels on the fringes of the capital.

State media and pro-Assad websites said rebel fighters were pushed back from Jobar and other parts of the Ghouta area of eastern Damascus.

“Our noble army is continuing its operations against the terrorists in Irbeen, Zamalka and Harasta and Sbeineh, destroying the criminal lairs,” Syrian television said. But rebels said they had made significant gains.

“Parts of the Damascus ringroad fell to us today. The road has been effectively the last remaining barrier between the Ghouta and the city,” said Abu Ghazi, a rebel commander based in the eastern suburb of Irbeen within the Damascus radius.

“I don’t want to give people false hopes but I think if street fighting reaches central Damascus the regime will not be able to quell it this time. There is a new strategy, brigades are united.”

A disorganised rebel advance on the city failed last year.