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Syria: Child killed as mortar shells strike Damascus

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said unidentified war planes hit the town of Douma, 10 miles (15 km) northeast of the capital, and surface-to-surface missiles fired by the Syrian army also hit the surrounding areas, including Eastern Ghouta.

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Syria’s government has launched a series of simultaneous ground offensives across the country with backing by pro-regime militias and Russian warplanes.

The bombardment of a besieged Syrian insurgent stronghold killed 31 civilians close to Damascus in Syria on Sunday.

Dozens of civilians in a Damascus suburb were killed in air raids and rocket attacks by Syrian government and Russian forces on December 13, sources told Al Jazeera.

Syria’s state-run news agency says a child has been killed and three people wounded by mortar shells that struck the capital Damascus.

He claimed the worldwide community’s goal is to incorporate the armed opposition with government forces, keeping Assad as president, as a prelude to fighting extremist factions.

On Sunday, at least 45 people were killed as government forces bombarded the nearby rebel-held suburbs of Douma, Saqba, Arbeen and Harasta, according to the Syrian Observatory and the opposition Local Co-ordination Committees.

On Monday, a visiting United Nations official said the humanitarian situation in the war-ravaged country is “a blot on our collective conscience”.

“This is a tragic reminder of the urgency of finding a political solution and security a nationwide ceasefire”, he said.

Around 6.5 million Syrians are internally displaced, O’Brien said.

Two children were among the dead, and dozens of people were wounded, he said.

“This situation is unacceptable”, he said.

Earlier reports said the jets belonged to the army of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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FSA’s chief of staff has denied receiving Russian weapons.

Syrian pro-government forces flash the V sign for victory and wave the Syrian flag as they gather on a hilltop they took over near the town of Mahin Homs Province