13 Children Slain in Syrian Airstrike Against Rebel-Held South

Strike Hit Religious Study Meeting in Eastern Ghariyah

Just one day after Syrian state media reports on rebel shelling of a mosque in Aleppo where children were receiving religion training, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has noted the Syrian military has carried out an airstrike against the Daraa Province and hit a study meeting there, killing 16 people, including 13 children.

The strike hit the town of Eastern Ghaniyah, and the observatory noted that the toll is likely to rise, as a number of people were injured seriously. The town is near the 52nd Brigade air base in eastern Daraa, which has been the site of several battles recently.

There were no details of any combatants injured in the strike, and it is unclear what the military was aiming at. Eastern Ghaniyah, despite being in the vicinity of fighting, has not been the site of much fighting itself.

The nearby base is one of the most important in southern Syria, and was seized by Jordan-backed rebels last month, though they have since lost it back to the government. As with most areas that are being contested, civilians seem to be getting the brunt of the strikes.

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.