Syrian ministers joined ordinary citizens Sunday for funeral services in Damascus. Officials services were held Sunday for 27 people killed in twin blasts in Damascus Saturday.

As they mourn, state media reports fresh blasts in Aleppo where a car bomb ripped through a residential area.

Syria's state news agency said the attack killed two people and wounded 30 others. Opposition activists said three died in the explosion.

The United Nations says more than 8,000 people died in Syria in the crackdown on a revolt that began a year ago.

The struggle between opponents of the regime and the president's forces has become increasingly bloody. Authorities say they are fighting foreign militants who have killed more than 2,000 members of the security forces.

On the streets of Damascus, supporters of President Bashar al-Assad make their voices heard.

A very different scene in the northern town of Binnish, reportedly under control of the Free Syrian army. Syria's independence flag stands tall in the town.

Graffiti on the streets calls for a free Syria. Another sign says we will kneel only to Allah. A resident says they will fight or die.

(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) UNIDENTIFIED RESIDENT OF BINNISH, SAYING:

"Our main aim is to quickly arm the Free Syrian Army and the most important thing is that we are determined to topple the regime, we are following God's orders. We will be victorious or die."

World powers have been unable to stop more than a year of bloodshed in Syria, a country that sits on the fault lines of

several regional and ethnic conflicts. Recent army gains against rebel positions have shown no sign of quelling the violence and

no negotiated settlement is in sight.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters