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21:02 GMT
DAMASCUS, Feb 9 (KUNA) -- Scores of civilians were killed or injured on
Sunday as the Syrian regular troops escalated their attacks with powder kegs
and missiles on several parts of the country, mainly Aleppo, Homs and Damascus.
At least 21 people were killed and dozens of others injured in an air
attack on Al-Haidariya crossroads in the northern city of Aleppo, and large
number of nearby houses and cars were destroyed, according to a press release
by the Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC).
A similar attack on Al-Qaterji district in the city killed 11 people.
The death toll of the two attacks is expected to rise further as a number
of victims are still under debris.
The attacks, part of a 20-day air campaign on the city, forced a large
number of citizens to flee their homes but the regime's air force targeted a
convoy of evacuees and killed nine of them, according to the statement.
The regular troops also attacked the Al-Tabbalin area and Qadhi Askar
district in the city as well the surroundings of the central prison of Aleppo
in bid to break the siege laid by the opposition forces on the jail.
In the central city of Homs the regular troops, backed by pro-regime
militias, attacked a group of civilians, who fled the city under the current
truce between the two fighting parties, killing seven evacuees and wounding
ten others.
A mortar attack on the old districts of Homs killed five people and wounded
30 others, forcing the aid workers of the UN and the Syrian Arab Red Crescent
to halt the relief effort for the trapped residents.
On the outskirts of the capital city of Damascus, the continuing air
campaign on Jober, Zamalka and Zabadai neighborhoods resulted in dozens of
casualties and a large-scale material damage.
The military helicopters dropped at least 240 powder kegs on the city in
the last few days including six barrels today, the SRGC reported.
The northern cities of Latakia and Idlib witnessed similar air and
artillery attacks.
In a related development the rebel Free Syrian Army engaged with the
regular troops and killed several of them at Hanano military barracks, the
political security building and Al-Nairab military airport. (end)
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