Five-day death toll in Syria rebel enclave 400

BEIRUT: The death toll for five days of bombardment by the Syrian regime and its allies on the rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta passed the 400 mark Thursday, a monitor said.

“Five days of air strikes and intense artillery fire by the regime and its Russian ally have killed 403 civilians, including 95 children,” the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.The head of the Britain-based Observatory, Rami Abdel Rahman, said 46 people were killed in strikes and rocket fire on Thursday.

The Syrian regime rained rockets and bombs on Eastern Ghouta Thursday, killing another 36 civilians as international pressure mounted to stop the carnage in the rebel-held enclave.Russia has tested over 200 new types of arms in Syria during its campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad, a senior lawmaker said Thursday, as Moscow was accused of taking part in air strikes against rebel-held Eastern Ghouta.

UN diplomats pressed on Thursday with tough negotiations on a UN draft resolution demanding a 30-day humanitarian ceasefire in Syria, hoping to avoid a Russian veto at the Security Council.Sweden and Kuwait on Wednesday requested a vote on the measure, but there was no decision to schedule the vote.