BEIRUT // Shelling and air raids by Syrian government forces killed at least 20 civilians and wounded or trapped 200 on Saturday in rebel-held Douma east of Damascus, a monitoring group said.
The latest deaths came just six days after regime air strikes killed more than 100 people, sparking international condemnation of one of the bloodiest government attacks in Syria’s war.
“At least 20 civilians were killed in the heavy shelling and air attacks since (Saturday) morning on Douma,” said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
He said around 200 more were either wounded or still trapped under rubble, and that the death toll was expected to rise.
The Syrian Revolution General Commission, an activist group that publishes daily updates on the country’s conflict, said women and children were among those killed.
“Wounded and dead are still being removed from under the rubble,” the SRGC said in an emailed statement.
The Local Coordination Committees activist network said Saturday’s bombardment struck four adjacent buildings.
Photographs published online by a local activist group called the Douma Coordination Committee depicted a young, bloodied child being carried across a field of concrete rubble.
In the pictures, volunteers searched through crumbling buildings, some missing entire walls, hoping to find survivors.
A child caked with blood and dust lay in a field clinic, his eyes half-open as a medic tended to him.
Douma is part of the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area, which is regularly targeted by regime shelling and bombardment and has been under a suffocating siege for nearly two years.
On Saturday, government air strikes also hit the Eastern Ghouta town of Harasta, where troops loyal to embattled President Bashar Al Assad were clashing with hardline rebels, the Britain-based Observatory said.
* Agence France-Presse
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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How to volunteer
The UAE volunteers campaign can be reached at www.volunteers.ae , or by calling 800-VOLAE (80086523), or emailing info@volunteers.ae.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
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Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
