Kiev, Oct 1 (IANS): At least 10 civilians were killed Wednesday in a confrontation between government forces and insurgents in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk.

The Donetsk municipal council said at least six people were killed and one injured when a public transport bus was hit by heavy gunfire in morning rush hours, Xinhua reported.

The council, in a statement, accused rebels of being responsible for the attack, saying they used multiple rocket launchers to conduct the assault.

Earlier Wednesday, four people were killed and eight others wounded after shells hit the courtyard of a school in the rebel-held city.

Around 70 children and 28 teachers were inside the school at the moment of the attack, and all those killed were adults, the statement said.

It is still unclear whether the bus and the school were intentionally targeted or caught in the crossfire.

Top insurgent leader Alexandr Zakharchenko blamed Ukrainian forces for the violence, saying pro-government troops "carried out the attacks to demonstrate insubordination to the central authorities."

The bloodshed in Donetsk marked another violation of the ceasefire declared last month between the Ukrainian government and the insurgents' leadership.

Clashes between Ukraine's armed forces and insurgents since mid-April have claimed over 3,000 lives and left some 8,000 people injured.