Syrian rebels killed 28 soldiers in attacks on military checkpoints in northern Idlib province on Thursday, Nov 1, just hours after a wave of bombings hit Damascus and its outskirts, activists said, according to The Associated Press.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the rebels attacked three military checkpoints near the town of Saraqeb, killing the troops. Five rebels also died in gun battles following the attacks, according to the Observatory, which relies on reports from activists on the ground.

There was no official confirmation of the deaths from the authorities.

The relentless fighting in Syria has killed more than 36,000 people according to activists since March 2011, when the uprising against President Bashar Assad's regime began.