20 children among 77 die in Syrian govt bombardments, Monitor says

Bombardments by Syrian government forces have killed dozens of civilians in the rebel-held Eastern Ghouta area outside Damascus, activists say.

At least 77 civilians, including 20 children, were killed in air strikes and rocket fire on Monday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, according to a BBC report.

The rights body said air strikes and shelling on several parts of the besieged suburbs also wounded more than 300 people, reports AP.

The army is believed to be preparing a ground offensive.

Urging a halt to the bombardment, a UN official said the situation was spiralling out of control.

Almost 0.40 million people live in the Eastern Ghouta, which has been under siege since 2013.

It is the last remaining opposition-held enclave near the capital Damascus.

Syrian forces stepped up their campaign to retake the area earlier this month, reportedly killing hundreds of people and injuring many more.

It led to a rare ceasefire to deliver supplies to civilians living in the conflict zone.

Meanwhile, Turkey warned the Syrian government not to help Kurds fighting against Turkish forces in northern Syria.