DHAKA: At least 16 people, including 13 children, were killed when Syrian air force jets bombed a town in Deraa province on Tuesday, activists say.

Those killed were attending lessons on the Koran in Ghariyah, locals told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based monitoring group.

Syrian government officials have not commented on reports of the attack, reports bbc.com

More than 230,000 Syrians have died in the civil war, which began after anti-government protests in March 2011.

Syrian rebels have been making gains in recent weeks against government forces in Deraa province, which was where unrest over President Bashar al-Assad's rule first erupted four years ago.

The town of Ghariyah lies near the eastern edge of Deraa province, not far from the location of a military base that rebel fighters seized from the regime a week ago.

The Syrian Observatory said the death toll from Tuesday's strikes was expected to rise further because a number of those injured were in serious condition.

Rebels also briefly overrun the nearby al-Thalaa air base, before government forces eventually retook it.

BDST: 1209 HRS, JUN 17 , 2015
RS