Air strikes near Damascus kill 15

Beirut : At least 15 civilians, including six children, were killed in air strikes and artillery fire on rebel-held territory near Syria’s capital Damascus, a monitor said, reports AFP.  The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately possible to determine where the strikes on the Eastern Ghouta region were carried out by the Syrian regime or its ally Russia. Eastern Ghouta has long been a rebel stronghold, and is regularly targeted by government air strikes and artillery fire. An AFP correspondent in Eastern Ghouta said warplanes had been overheard since the early hours of the morning.