33 Killed as Syrian Govt, Rebels Trade Shelling in Damascus

Civilians Reported Slain on Both Sides in Attacks

Every time the Syrian government and rebels begin a new round of skirmishes in metro Damascus, the civilian population seems to bear the brunt of the strikes. That’s true again, with the two sides trading shelling today, killing 33 people including a number of civilians on both sides.

Rocket fire against the rebel-held suburb of Douma saw at least 24 people killed, including five children according to monitors. A number of people, including civilians, were also wounded in the strikes, overwhelming local medical facilities.

Rebel fire hit the center of Damascus around 11 pm, around Amus Garden, a place where civilians often go in the evening. Monitors reported nine killed in this strike, including five women. There was no mention on either side of any significant combatants killed in any of the attacks.

The rebels have retained a handful of key suburbs around Damascus, though these are often more or less surrounding by the Syrian military. Both sides regularly trade fire and ambushes in the area, but neither seems to be able to do anything decisive to the other.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.