Syria: At 20 least Palestinians die from govt mortar rounds, report says

Damascus, 3 Aug. (AKI) - At least 20 Palestinians died near Damascus on Friday when government forces fired mortar rounds into a refugee camp near the Syrian capital, according to the al-Arabiya news channel, citing local activists who oppose president Bashar al-Assad.

Meanwhile, overnight fighting between government and rebel forces intensified in Damascus' Tadamun neighbourhood, unnamed sources told the news channel.

Some 20,000 people have died since anti-government protests were sparked by the Arab Spring movement 17 months ago.

The United Nations and western nations like the United States blame Assad's military for most of the violence. The Syrian government counters by saying the deaths were caused primarily by ''terrorists'' and their foreign supporters.