At least seven Syrian children were killed in government shelling of a rebel-held area outside Damascus on Tuesday, most as they left school, activists said. The government has intensified its campaign against the last rebel holdouts on the outskirts of the capital as Russian-sponsored talks in Kazakhstan aim to consolidate “de-escalation zones” in different parts of the country. Shelling in the northeastern town of Musraba has meanwhile killed another three people, including a child, according to the Observatory. The Ghouta Media Center said four were killed, including two children. The de-escalation zones agreed to in Astana have significantly reduced the violence in many parts of Syria, but a lasting political solution remains elusive.

Source: Egypt Independent October 31, 2017 12:45 UTC