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SYRIAN government forces responded to a barrage of rockets and mortar shells fired by rebels into Damascus yesterday by striking opposition-held areas around the capital, killing at least 16 people.
The shelling followed threats by a rebel commander to avenge deadly government air strikes on nearby rebel-held suburbs over the past week. Zahran Alloush, commander of the Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Islam) rebel group, had threatened Damascus and claimed in a Twitter post yesterday to have fired hundreds of rockets into the city.
He vowed to continue the campaign “until the capital is cleansed.”
State news agency Sana said that the shelling had also damaged several houses and smashed cars on the streets.
Government forces have been striking the suburb of Douma, where Jaysh al-Islam is based, carrying out deadly air raids and hurling barrel bombs from helicopters in an effort to dislodge the rebels.
