BREAKING NEWS

Syrian minister rolls back school toll, says 9 dead

BEIRUT - Syria's foreign minister said on Friday that nine school children were killed in a "terrorist" attack on Tuesday, contradicting an earlier report from the official state news agency saying 28 had been killed.
State television reported on Tuesday that a rebel mortar attack killed nine school children and a teacher when "terrorists" - a term the government uses for rebels who are fighting to oust President Bashar Assad - fired a mortar at a school in Wafideen Camp, in the Damascus suburbs.
A later report by the state news agency SANA said that the number had risen to 28 school children and one teacher. UNICEF, the United Nations children's fund, released a statement on Wednesday condemning the attack.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem was quoted on Friday by SANA telling Filippo Grandi, the UN Relief and Works Agency Commissioner General, that nine school children and a teacher were killed in the attack.
Reuters is unable to independently verify reports in Syria due to severe government restrictions.