DAMASCUS - Syrian army troops carried out Thursday two "qualitative" operations in the northern province of Aleppo, killing and wounding scores of armed insurgents, the state-run SANA news agency said.

The two operations were carried out at the mail center and the courthouse, killing and injuring of scores of the gunmen, said SANA.

Meanwhile, the pro-government Addounia TV said the army has also mounted an offensive against armed insurgents at the cultural center in the Hanano area in Aleppo.

SANA said an al-Qaida leader was liquidated in Hanano.

The state media spelled no further details on the confrontation there but apparently the armed insurgents have been entrenching on those public establishments.

On the other hand, opposition activists, Aleppo-Idlib network, said the Syrian troops have shelled al-Bab area of Aleppo, targeting the vehicles of the rebels Free Syrian Army.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the neighborhoods of al-Firdous, Qadi Askar, al-Sha'ar, al-Sakhour, al- Sukkari, al-Ansari and Tariq al-Bab in Aleppo were bombarded Thursday by the government troops.

It said more than 16 people have been killed in Aleppo due to the operation.

It said clashes took place Thursday morning at the al-Jandoul roundabout in Aleppo, adding that the fighting has resulted in the killing of at least eight soldiers.

In the capital Damascus, the al-Hajar al-Aswad neighborhood has been bombarded by government forces, which have also clashed with rebels in the area, according to the Observatory.

Clashes and violence have also hit other Syrian areas, such as central Homs, northern Idlib, eastern Deir al-Zour provinces.

The Observatory said at least 70 people were killed nationwide Thursday, 42 of whom were unarmed civilians.

The activists' claim couldn't be checked independently.