Mortar shells hit near Syrian parliament, kill 5

DAMASCUS - A pair of mortar shells hit near the parliament building in central Damascus, killing five people, Syria's state-run media said Monday.

The mortars struck some 320 feet (100 meters) from the parliament in the Salihiya area of the Syrian capital on Monday morning, SANA news agency reported. 

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the attack but Syrian rebels often fire mortar shells into government-controlled areas of Damascus. They say they are punishing pro-government forces for besieging areas controlled by the opposition, denying residents food, clean water and medical aid, and for dropping crude bombs on residential areas. (AP)