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Activists say Syrian government airstrikes on rebel-held town kill at least 16 people

Associated Press
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Backdropped by Kobani, in Syria, a Turkish forces armoured vehicle is stationed along the border road in Mursitpinar, on the outskirts of Suruc, on the Turkey-Syria border, where fighting between Syrian Kurds and the militants of Islamic State group continued, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab, and its surrounding areas, has been under assault by extremists of the Islamic State group since mid-September and is being defended by Kurdish fighters. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (The Associated Press)

Smoke from a fire rises in Kobani, Syria while fighting continued between Syrian Kurds and the militants of the Islamic State group, as seen from Mursitpinar on the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab, and its surrounding areas, has been under assault by extremists of the Islamic State group since mid-September and is being defended by Kurdish fighters. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (The Associated Press)

Smoke from a mortar rises in Kobani, Syria while fighting continued between Syrian Kurds and the militants of the Islamic State group, as seen from Mursitpinar on the outskirts of Suruc, at the Turkey-Syria border, Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. Kobani, also known as Ayn Arab, and its surrounding areas, has been under assault by extremists of the Islamic State group since mid-September and is being defended by Kurdish fighters. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis) (The Associated Press)

Syrian activists say that government airstrikes on a rebel-held town have killed at least 16 people.

Local activist Hassan Taqulden and the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Saturday that at least five air raids targeted buildings in the city of Douma. They said the bombings occurred Friday evening.

Taqulden said most of those killed were civilians. The Observatory said at least three children and one woman were killed. Both said the death toll was likely to rise because people were still buried under rubble.

Syria's military stepped up its shelling of Douma during the summer as part of its intensified battle to wrest back rebel-held towns around the capital, Damascus.

Activists say Syria's three-year civil war has killed more than 200,000 people.