Donetsk (Ukraine), Feb 13 (IANS/EFE): At least 10 civilians, including three children, have died in Ukrainian artillery barrages over the past 24 hours in eastern Ukraine, pro-Russian separatists fighting the Ukrainians said Friday.

Eduard Basurin, spokesman for the militia of the self-proclaimed People's Republic of Donetsk, told reporters that three children were killed in the city of Gorlovka Thursday in an artillery strike.

Four people died in Gorlovka and three in the city of Donetsk, the main stronghold of the separatists in eastern Ukraine.

Three other people died in Lugansk, according to the rebels who control the city which is the capital of the eponymous region bordering Russia.

The latest casualties occurred 48 hours before the ceasefire agreed Thursday in Minsk by leaders of Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France, goes into effect.

According to the 13-point plan agreed to in the Belarus capital to end the conflict that has claimed some 6,000 lives in eastern Ukraine, the ceasefire will take effect at midnight Sunday.

The agreement stipulates that after the cessation of hostilities, the combatants will withdraw their heavy weapons from the forces' separation line to create a wide security area and a prisoner exchange.