After headlines earlier this months about regime offensives and advances, this week’s stories have been of a fight-back by insurgents across Syria.

While sketchy, the leading news comes from East Ghouta near Damascus, with opposition fighters in the 6th day of battles with regime forces. The insurgency, which launched attacks last Friday against military checkpoints besieging the areas, continues to claims hundreds of regime casualties and a retreat by the Syrian army and National Defense Forces, leaving Shia militias exposed.

However, the assertions of an opposition fight-back are not just near the capital. The insurgents continue to stall the Qalamoun offensive north and west of Damascus, maintaining the block of the Damascus-to-Homs road. There are claims, amid the insurgency’s take-over of Syria’s largest oilfield — in Deir Ez Zor Province in the east — that its brigades’ attacks have also cut off production of refineries.

And in Aleppo Province, where the Syrian military had opened a corridor to Aleppo city, EA sources are reporting insurgent attacks in the south of the province and near as-Safira, the town captured by regime forces earlier this month.