Syrian rebels fight army near Christian village

Syrian rebels fight army near Christian village

BEIRUT (AP) - Syrian government troops battled al-Qaida-linked rebels over a regime-held Christian village in western Syria for the second day today, as world leaders gathered in Russia for an economic summit expected to be overshadowed by the prospect of U.S.-led strikes against the Damascus regime. Residents of Maaloula said the militants entered the village late Wednesday. Rami Abdul-Rahman, the director of the Britain-based Observatory for Human Rights, said the fighters included members of the of al-Qaida affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra group.