29 students,1 teacher killed by mortar shell attack near Syrian capital

DAMASCUS: At least 29 students were killed along with their teacher on Tuesday when a mortar shell struck their school in al-Wafidin camp in the outskirts of Syria's capital Damascus, the state-run SANA news agency said.

SANA said the mortar was fired by "terrorists," giving no further details.

Separately, three civilians were also killed on Tuesday when armed men fired multiple mortar shells at two towns in the countryside of the central province of Homs, local media said.

The latest incidents have come amid ongoing clashes between the Syrian troops and rebel fighters in suburbs of the capital Damascus, including Daraya and other southern suburbs.

Opposition activists also reported heavy shelling by government troops on hotspots around Damascus and elsewhere in the conflict- torn country.