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Children killed in airstrike on Damascus nursery

Children killed in airstrike on Damascus nursery
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By Catherine Hardy with Agencies
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Activists are blaming government forces for the shelling in a rebel-held district of the Syrian capital, which reportedly happened during morning playtime.

At least six children have been killed in a Syrian government airstrike on a nursery in a rebel-held district of Damascus.

The activist organisation the “Unified Medical Bureau of Eastern Ghouta” has reported the death toll.

The group says more than 25 children were wounded.

Injured adults and children have been treated at facilities in the suburb of Harasta.

The group is blaming government forces for the shelling, which reportedly happened mid-
morning during playtime.

#BREAKING Syria regime shelling kills six children in a kindergarten in the rebel-held town of Harasta: monitor

— AFP news agency (@AFP) November 6, 2016

A kindergarten near #Damascus today. Rebel-held area of Harasta, after reported govt shelling. 4 #children killed. AFPphoto</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Iraq?src=hash">#Iraq</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Syria?src=hash">#Syria</a> <a href="https://t.co/LGb1tsiZov">pic.twitter.com/LGb1tsiZov</a></p>&mdash; Jean-Marc Mojon (mojobaghdad) November 6, 2016

Heartbreaking images

Pictures taken at the scene show young children covered in blood and being treated in hospital.

A tiled floor, strewn with toys, seems to be splattered with blood.

A rebel stronghold

Harasta is in the rebel stronghold of Eastern Ghouta, outside Damascus.

The region is regularly targeted by government air strikes and shelling.

More than 300,000 people have been killed in Syria since the conflict began with anti-government protests in March 2011

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