Syria air strikes kill eight people in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta

Eight people are dead following air strikes in Syria's Eastern Ghouta - the first civilian casualties in the area since a ceasefire was declared at the weekend.

(File Image) Rescue teams remove debris as they try to locate survivors after a government air strike over residential areas in Eastern Ghouta on April 4, 2017.

(File Image) Rescue teams remove debris as they try to locate survivors after a government air strike over residential areas in Eastern Ghouta on April 4, 2017.

Air strikes have killed at least eight people in Syria's rebel-held Eastern Ghouta, a war monitor says.

The deaths were the first civilian casualties in the area - the last major rebel stronghold near Damascus - since a cessation of hostilities was declared there on Saturday.

The strikes, targeting the town of Arbin, wounded an additional 30 people, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says.

The Civil Defence for rural Damascus, a rescue service operating in the area, says the dead included five children and two women.

The air strikes hit the area at late on Monday night, it says.

Russia, a military ally of President Bashar al-Assad, says it deployed military police in the Eastern Ghouta on Monday to try to enforce a de-escalation zone it said it had agreed with the Syrian opposition there.

The Syrian military declared a cessation of hostilities there on Saturday.

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Source: AAP


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Syria air strikes kill eight people in rebel-held Eastern Ghouta | SBS News