DAMASCUS, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Syrian airstrikes against a rebel bastion east of the capital Damascus Sunday killed around 82 civilians and injured over 250 others, a monitor group reported.
Syrian warplanes fired several missiles against the sprawling suburb of Douma, in the eastern countryside of Damascus, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, adding that the death toll may rise as there is a substantial number of critically wounded people.
The attack also caused property damage in Douma, the main stronghold of the so-called Jaish al-Islam, or the Islamic Army, in the Eastern Ghouta countryside of Damascus. Several missiles also struck a marketplace in that area, the UK-based watchdog group added.
Meanwhile, the state news agency SANA said Syrian air forces targeted "terrorist" posts in Eastern Ghouta, destroying rocket launchers and weapons depots, in addition to killing numerous "terrorists," most of whom were foreigners.
Douma has emerged as the main stronghold of an array of jihadist groups in eastern Damascus, mainly the Islamic Army, throughout the country's long-running conflict.
