Syrian Government Airstrike On Market Kills At Least 80, Activists Say

BEIRUT, Aug 16 (Reuters) - A Syrian government air strike northeast of Damascus killed at least 80 people in a marketplace on Sunday, rescue workers in the rebel-held area and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

At least 200 more people were wounded in the attack on Douma, about 15 km (10 miles) from Damascus, according to the British-based Observatory, which operates in rebel areas, and the local arm of Syrian Civil Defense.

A Syrian military source said the air force had carried out air strikes in Douma and nearby Harasta, targeting the headquarters of the rebel group Islam Army.

A video bearing the symbol of Syrian Civil Defense appeared to show dozens of bodies lined up on the ground. Some were covered in white sheets. Another video showed rescuers carrying bodies in a street strewn with food and debris.

A Syrian Civil Defense official contacted by Reuters said both videos were shot on Sunday and a person heard on camera giving the date as August 15 had done so by mistake.

The Observatory said at least 10 rockets were fired during the attack, and accused the warplanes of bombing again after rescue workers had arrived at the scene.

"This is a documented massacre," said Rami Abdulrahman, who runs the Observatory.

On Saturday, the insurgent group Islam Army attacked government positions in Harasta. (Reporting by Tom Perry and Naline Malla, editing by Larry King)

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