More deaths in Syria despite UN demand for ceasefire

AT least three people are reported to have been killed amid violence in Syria despite a resolution from the UN Security Council demanding a 30-day ceasefire.

Activists and residents in Damascus reported low-level clashes on the southern edge of its rebel-held suburbs, known as eastern Ghouta, and two air strikes late on Saturday night, shortly after the resolution was adopted.

Yesterday some more shelling and air strikes were reported by activists in eastern Ghouta.

The relative calm came after a week of intense air strikes and shelling killed more than 500 people in eastern Ghouta and left dozens dead or wounded in government-held Damascus, which rebels attacked with mortar shells.

“This has been the calmest night since last Sunday,” said Rami Abdurrahman, who heads the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, yesterday.

The Observatory said yesterday’s shelling killed three people and wounded 27 in several areas in eastern Ghouta. The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defence, also known as White Helmets, said the three were killed in the towns of Saqba, Beit Sawa and Hammouriyeh.

State news agency SANA said insurgents breached the truce by firing 15 shells yesterday on government-held areas on the edge of Ghouta.

Ghouta-based opposition activist Anas al-Dimashqi said the night before was calm but warplanes and drones were flying over rebel-held areas. He said several explosions were heard on Sunday in Ghouta.

Dr Sakhr al-Dimashqi, a surgeon at a clinic in Ghouta, told The Associated Press that several shells hit some towns in the suburbs, adding that they received six wounded people at the clinic where he works.

“The shelling today is not as intense as over the past week,” he said.