At least eight people were killed Monday by an intensified rebel mortar shelling on residential areas in the capital Damascus, Xinhua reported referring state news agency SANA.
The mortar rounds slammed several neighborhoods in Damascus, mostly those located in the eastern and northern part of the city.
SANA said two players in the judo national team were among those killed, as one of the mortar shells slammed the al-Fayha' sports city in northern Damascus.
Most of the wounded were taken to either the Mujtahid or the French hospitals in Damascus.
Sources told Xinhua that the French hospital was jam-packed with wounded people as most of the operation rooms were busy.
The mortar attacks come as the Syrian army and the rebels have been fighting for days in the Harasta area in northeastern Damascus after the rebels attempted to attack a military base near that area.
Syrian warplanes have been clearly heard over the past few days, with activists saying they are targeting the rebel positions in Harasta and nearby rebel-held areas.