Hours of air strikes and shelling on Saturday struck Jayrud, 60 kilometres northeast of Damascus, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. More than 280,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaces since Syria's conflict broke out in March 2011. A Facebook page run by Jayrud activists that publishes news about the town said rebels began withdrawing from their bases around the town overnight. Anti-regime factions in Jayrud include the Saudi-backed Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), the hardline Ahrar al-Sham, and Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said two medics were among the dead, as well as women and children.

Source: dna July 03, 2016 07:07 UTC