Syrian government forces shelled a village in a rebel-controlled area near Damascus today, killing at least 12 civilians and injuring several others who were taking shelter in a banquet hall.<br/><br/>The violence in the water-rich Barada Valley, which has raged since December 22, has tested the country's fragile ceasefire and restricted the flow of water to the capital.<br/><br/>Despite an agreement to allow maintenance workers in to fix the water facility in the rebel-controlled valley, the violence continued, also trapping an estimated 100,000 residents.<br/><br/>Today, shells fell on al-Reem banquet hall in Deir Qanoun village in the valley that houses hundreds of civilians who had escaped the intensified fighting. The activist-operated Wadi Barada Media Center said 12 were killed and more than 20 were injured. '<br/>'<br/>The Syrian Civil Defense, a team of volunteer first responders in the rebel-held parts of Syria, also put the death toll at 12, saying the shelling hit a displaced people's centre.'<br/>'<br/>Fighting has raged in the valley that provides the Syrian capital with most of its water supply. In recent days, government and allied troops have been advancing in the valley despite talks to stem the violence.<br/>