Forces loyal to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad appear to have recaptured Aleppo district. This amateur and unverified video footage from Salah al-Din – the southern gateway to the area - shows battered streets covered in rubble, wires hanging from the destroyed and crumbling buildings - a stark view of the days and weeks of sustained bombings and shellings the area has endured.

And there's much confusion around how much or how little rebel fighters have and haven't succeeded in protecting what territory they have, but there seems to be no confusion about Assad determination to continue. Already, within days of Syria's Prime Minister Riyad Hijab's defection - a replacement's been installed. Former Health Minister, Wael al-Halki – seen here in archive footage - is said to President Assad's be new PM.

Syrian forces pressed ahead with their strengthened air and ground attacks, ensuring that the rebel stronghold was captured and members of the Free Syrian Army and its supporters pushed back.

The recent bombing of the State TV station (in which 3 staff members were hurt) didn't stop journalists protesting outside their offices that - and according to one banner - 'you cannot obscure the truth'. No sooner it was back on air, it broadcast claims that several 'terrorists' were killed, the area has been 'cleansed' of rebels fighters and that pro-government forces had seized arms and ammo.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, 300 people have been killed in the last few days. Meanwhile one of Syria's most important Middle- Eastern friends and allies, Iran has frozen Western countries out of a conference today in the capital Tehran, designed to try and find a peaceful solution to the crisis.