Damascus hit by deadly rocket attack

A barrage of rockets has struck a residential district on the outskirts of Damascus, killing at least five people, activists say.

Several rockets slammed into the Barzeh district, where rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad operate.

The opposition Barzeh media centre and a militant website claimed the Syrian military fired 14 rockets on Barzeh overnight, leaving people buried under the rubble.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed a barrage of shells that killed several people but said the nature of the attack and number of casualties was not clear.