At least three people were killed Thursday as mortar rounds bombarded Damascus, Syrian state media said, after rebels threatened retaliation for deadly regime raids on insurgent-held areas.
At least 49 mortar rounds struck several districts of the capital, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
"Within minutes, our busy street was empty," said a resident of the Baramkeh central neighbourhood, home to several university faculties and the headquarters of the state news agency SANA.
The head of a school in the area said she had taken the pupils down into a shelter.
SANA, which gave the toll of three dead, said 30 people were also wounded.
The bombardment came two days after rebel group Jaysh al-Islam (Army of Islam) vowed to avenge deadly regime raids on the besieged rebel-held town of Douma east of the capital.
Its leader Zahran Alloush said that Damascus was now considered a "military zone" and a target for the rebels.
He urged civilians to leave areas near security service facilities and army barracks.
The region of Eastern Ghouta, which includes Douma, is a key rebel bastion on the outskirts of Damascus, and has been under government siege for nearly two years.
Tens of thousands of civilians are affected by shortages of food and medicines.
Since mid-2012, the Syrian regime has conducted frequent air raids on rebel-held areas. It is accused by human rights groups of indiscriminately killing both civilians and insurgents.
More than 200,000 people have died in the Syrian conflict, which began with anti-government protests in March 2011 and escalated into a civil war that brought jihadists streaming into the country.
Source: AFP