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Syria conflict: Marketplace air strikes 'kill 80' Syria conflict: Marketplace air strikes 'kill 80'
(35 minutes later)
Activists say at least 80 people have died after government air strikes on a marketplace in the rebel-held town of Douma, near Damascus. Syrian activists say at least 80 people have died in government air strikes on a marketplace in the rebel-held town of Douma, near Damascus.
Around 200 people were reportedly injured in the attack.Around 200 people were reportedly injured in the attack.
Government forces have been regularly attacking rebel-held Douma and its surrounding areas in recent months by air raids and helicopter barrel bomb attacks. Government forces have been regularly attacking Douma and its surrounding areas in recent months with air strikes and helicopter barrel bombs.
Hundreds of civilians have been killed alongside opposition fighters.Hundreds of civilians have been killed alongside opposition fighters.
Images uploaded by activists said to be of the aftermath of the air strikes showed the marketplace completely destroyed, with surrounding buildings in ruins and vehicles on fire. Unverified images uploaded by activists said to be of the aftermath of Sunday's air strikes showed a marketplace destroyed, with surrounding buildings in ruins and vehicles on fire.
The Local Coordination Committees, a network of anti-government activists, said that rescue workers are digging through the rubble in search of survivors. The Local Co-ordination Committees, a network of anti-government activists, said that rescue workers were digging through the rubble in search of survivors.
A Douma-based activist told AP the situation was "catastrophic", adding that clinics in the area were full and many of the wounded were being rushed in civilian cars to other medical facilities since ambulances were overwhelmed. A Douma-based activist told the Associated Press news agency that the situation was "catastrophic", adding that clinics in the area were full and many of the wounded were being rushed in civilian cars to other medical facilities since ambulances were overwhelmed.
The strikes are aimed at stopping rebel groups, including the Islamist rebel group Jaysh al-Islam, from firing rockets from Douma into Damascus, which is only about 7 miles (11 km) away.
An air strike on Wednesday reported killed at least 37 civilians in Douma, including four children.
The latest reported strikes coincide with the first visit to the country by the UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien since he took up the post in May.The latest reported strikes coincide with the first visit to the country by the UN humanitarian chief Stephen O'Brien since he took up the post in May.
Correspondents say Douma - which is only around 7 miles (11 km) from central Damascus - has been a constant target of government air strikes aimed at stopping rebels firing rockets from there into the capital, including the Islamist rebel group Jaysh al-Islam. United Nations figures show that over 220,000 people have been killed and more than nine million displaced in Syrian civil war since it began four years ago.
The war has seen the rapid emergence of numerous heavily armed jihadist groups within Syria, including Jaysh al-Islam, Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda offshoot al-Nusra Front.