The Latest: Opposition says Syria airstrikes kill 10

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, center, walks in front a Lebanese army helicopter that carried him from Beirut to an army air base to attend a Lebanese Special Forces drill, in Hamat village, 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, March 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (The Associated Press)

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British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond walks in front of Lebanese army soldiers who trained by British instructors under a UK funded program, after he attended a Special Forces drill at their base, in Hamat Lebanese army air base, 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, March 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (The Associated Press)

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, right, listens to a Lebanese special forces officer, left, as he attends a drill for Lebanese army soldiers who trained by British instructors under a UK funded program, in Hamat Lebanese army air base, 65 kilometers (40 miles) north of Beirut, Lebanon, Thursday, March 31, 2016. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) (The Associated Press)

DAMASCUS, Syria – The Latest on Syria's conflict (all times local):

2.15 p.m.

Syrian opposition activists say Syrian army airstrikes that hit near a school and hospital east of Damascus have killed more than 10 people.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says the casualties were caused by a series of airstrikes that struck the rebel-held town of Deir al-Asafir Thursday. The Local Coordination Committees, another opposition activist group, put the death toll from the airstrikes at 17.

The Britain-based Observatory says around 2,700 families live in Deir al-Asafir. Government troops have been trying to encircle the town for weeks.

The government says al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, operates in the eastern suburbs of Damascus. The group is excluded from a cease-fire that has been in place in Syria for a month. The opposition says the government is targeting civilians.

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1.30 p.m.

Syria's prime minister says the country's economy is being subjected to a "fierce war," adding that his government is working to stop the fall of local currency.

Wael al-Halqi's comments on Thursday came as the Syrian pound crashed against foreign currencies, recently reaching its lowest level in five years at 530 pounds to the U.S. dollar.

Al-Halqi, who spoke during a parliamentary session, did now say what the government will do.

When Syria's conflict began in March 2011, the exchange rate was 47 pounds to the dollar.

On Tuesday, state media reported that several people were detained with large amounts of cash while dealing in the black market.

The Syrian pound's latest crash began when Russia announced the withdrawal of the bulk of its forces from Syria.