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Syria war: Aleppo rebel attack on school kills seven children Syria war: Aleppo self-rule plan rejected by government
(about 4 hours later)
Seven children and a woman have died in government-controlled western Aleppo after a school was hit by rebel fire, state media says. A UN proposal to end heavy fighting in the city of Aleppo has been rejected by the Syrian government.
At least 32 others were injured at the school in the Furqan neighbourhood, according to the Sana news agency. Under the plan, rebel-held eastern Aleppo would remain under opposition control if rebel fighters withdrew.
The attack comes after days of heavy bombing on the rebel-controlled east. Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, who met the UN envoy to Syria on Sunday, called the idea a violation of "national sovereignty".
On Sunday, UN envoy Staffan De Mistura suggested the government grant autonomy to rebel-held areas of the city, a proposal that was dismissed. Earlier, eight children died in government-held western Aleppo after rebels hit a school, state media say.
In a rebel-held area, a barrel bomb killed a family of six, activists say.
Local medics say the victims in the al-Sakhour district suffocated to death because the bomb was laced with chlorine gas.
The UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, which monitors all the latest developments in Syria, reported the bombing but could not confirm the gas was used.
In Sunday's rebel shelling of the school in the government-controlled Furqan area, a teacher was also killed and at least 32 people were injured, Syria's state-run Sana news agency reports.
'Pyrrhic victory'
Mr Muallem rejected the truce plan during Sunday's meeting in Damascus with UN envoy Staffan De Mistura.
Mr De Mistura suggested the government grant autonomy and recognise the local administration in rebel-held areas of Aleppo if jihadist fighters left the city.
But Mr Muallem said the state's institutions must be restored across the whole city because it was a matter of "national sovereignty".
"It is not acceptable at all to leave some 275,000 of our people as hostages to 6,000 or 7,000 gunmen. There is no government in the world that would accept that," the Syrian minister said.
Mr De Mistura warned earlier this week that the government was chasing a "pyrrhic victory" in Aleppo if it does not arrive at a political settlement with the opposition.Mr De Mistura warned earlier this week that the government was chasing a "pyrrhic victory" in Aleppo if it does not arrive at a political settlement with the opposition.
He is understood to have travelled to the capital Damascus to make another push for a peace deal, proposing an autonomous administration, according to Syria's foreign minister Walid Muallem. Mr De Mistura arrived in the country amid growing concern for the residents of east Aleppo. The World Health Organization says they are almost entirely without hospital facilities following the government's latest assault.
But Mr Muallem said he was not willing to consider his suggestions. According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, at least 103 people have died in rebel-controlled areas since the bombardment began on Tuesday, following a three-week moratorium.
"This was completely rejected... This is a violation of our sovereignty," Mr Muallem said in a televised news conference after holding talks with Mr De Mistura.
Mr De Mistura arrived in the country amid growing concern for the 275,000 residents in east Aleppo, whom the World Health Organization says are almost entirely without hospital facilities following the government's latest assault.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, at least 103 people have died in rebel-controlled areas since the bombardment began on Tuesday, following a three week moratorium. Thirteen - including nine children - have died in the government-controlled west.
Syria Civil Defence, a volunteer rescue service also known as the White Helmets, said there were 180 air strikes on east Aleppo on Saturday alone.Syria Civil Defence, a volunteer rescue service also known as the White Helmets, said there were 180 air strikes on east Aleppo on Saturday alone.
Both the White Helmets and the Observatory said the assault had continued into Sunday, with barrel bombs dropped on the al-Sakhour district.
Among the dead were a family of six, whom medics claim suffocated to death because the barrel bomb had been laced with chlorine gas.
The Observatory could not confirm that chlorine gas was used.