Rebel-controlled northern Syria (CNN) -- Mohamed Rashid walked out of the gate of his house with a giant blood stain on his white T-shirt. 

"This is the blood of a martyr! Of a hero! Of a lion!" he bellowed. "This is his blood. It is pure!" 

Mad with grief, Rashid kissed his bloody T-shirt before being led away by worried relatives. 

Just hours before, Rashid learned his son Abdul was killed in battle in the Syrian city of Aleppo. 

Housam Abdul Rashid was a 22-year-old defector from the army. He was also the fourth man from his small hilltop village to be killed fighting for the rebels. 

The younger Rashid is one of the casualties of the five-day-old rebel offensive on Aleppo, the country's commercial capital. Another rebel, who asked only to be named "Khorshid" because his wife and children were still living in Aleppo, described how his comrade was killed by a helicopter gunship, while climbing onto a rooftop. 

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"Housam's specialty was a sniper," Khorshid said. "He went to the roof, and a helicopter gunship killed him. Another fighter from Aleppo with him was also killed. I was just 4 meters away when it happened." 

Khorshid said the rebels mounted their offensive on Aleppo last Friday, two days after a bomb killed four of Syria's top security officials. 

Rebel commanders and fighters claimed they made gains, particularly in the neighborhood of Salahuddin. But they were also clearly suffering casualties. 

What began 17 months ago as a peaceful protest movement has evolved into a full-fledged armed insurgency. 
Who's blood was on Mohamed's shirt?
What was his son's name?
What animal did he compare Abdul to?
Where did he die?
How old was he?
What was his role when he was battling rebels?
What specifically caused his death?
Was he the only one who died on the roof that day?
How many soldiers died with him?
Who provided this information?
Why didn't he want to provide his real name?
When did the rebels begin planning their attack?
How did 4 Syrian personnel die?
Do the rebels feel they are making progress?
Where is the progress most evident?
Was Housam the only person from his village to be lost from the battling?
How many others?
What did all this start as?
His sons
Rashid learned his son Abdul was killed in battle
Housam Abdul Rashid
Housam Abdul Rashid
A lion
"This is the blood of a martyr! Of a hero! Of a lion!" 
in battle in the Syrian city of Aleppo.
Just hours before, Rashid learned his son Abdul was killed in battle in the Syrian city of Aleppo. 
22
Housam Abdul Rashid was a 22-year-old
a sniper
"Housam's specialty was a sniper
"He went to the roof, and a helicopter gunship killed him
"He went to the roof, and a helicopter gunship killed him
No
Another fighter from Aleppo with him was also killed
One
 Another fighter from Aleppo with him was also killed.
Khorshid
Khorshid said
because his wife and children were still living in Aleppo,
 "Khorshid" because his wife and children were still living in Aleppo,
last Friday,
mounted their offensive on Aleppo last Friday,
a bomb killed them
after a bomb killed four of Syria's top security officials. 
Yes
Rebel commanders and fighters claimed they made gains, 
in the neighborhood of Salahuddin.
particularly in the neighborhood of Salahuddin. 
No
 He was also the fourth man from his small hilltop village to be killed fighting for the rebels. 

Three
He was also the fourth man from his small hilltop village to be killed fighting for the rebels. 
17 months ago
What began 17 months ago 