Throughout Ramadan,
Midan Al-Hussein is full of life, its bustling streets echo with greetings, and there is a multitude of entertainment on offer.
Midan itself has been the target of several bombings during the country's over six-year war.
Caroline Ahn is public relations manager for Chicago-based
Midan Marketing, an integrated marketing agency focused solely on the meat industry.
Citing security concerns, police have prevented performers from taking the stage at the Al-Fan
Midan art festival two months running.
The correspondent reported seeing nine bodies near the fourth zone of
Midan district on Monday, which the army had blocked off to residents because snipers were said to be in the area.
In Damascus, where violence flared up in the past week, the military hit back hard on Friday to take back the southern district of
Midan. Assaad al Achi, a member of the Syrian National Council, told Al Jazeera on Saturday that rebels retreated from
Midan (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dnbTPyfG1Mw) "to protect civilian lives."
State TV also said government troops were fully in control of the rebellious
Midan neighbourhood on the southern edge of Damascus.
* Syrian soldiers stand next to burned cars after they regained control of the district of
Midan, in the southern part of Damascus
"Our heroic forces have completely cleansed the
Midan area of the terrorist mercenaries," state TV announced, employing the term used by authorities to refer to rebels.
Main, this image released by Ugarit News purports to show burning tyres in Syrian capital Damascus; inset, smoke rising from the
Midan area of Damascus
The state news agency reported 26 fatalities and showed graphic images of wounded bodies and blasted vehicles on a blood-spattered street in the
Midan area of central Damascus, one of the few places in the capital where significant numbers rallied for after-prayer protests on Fridays.