BEIRUT — Turkish forces shelled the Kurdish-held northern Syrian town of Afrin on Wednesday killing at least seven people, Kurdish forces reported, as government shelling and airstrikes killed at least 20 civilians in the besieged eastern Ghouta enclave near the capital Damascus, activists said.

Shells slammed into the heart of Afrin at dusk at intervals just seconds apart, forcing residents to rush for cover, according to video published by the People’s Protection Units, known as the YPG. The group is being targeted by Turkey as a threat to its national security.

A resident reported a worsening bread shortage as tens of thousands of civilians have flocked to the town seeking relief from the advancing forces, shelling, and airstrikes. Azad Mohamed said he waited in line at Afrin’s only bakery for eight hours for a few loaves of bread. He said some residents were being turned away without any.

Afrin is already suffering from water and power shortages after Turkish forces cut supplies from the countryside, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.