Syria: 10 civilians killed in air raids on the stronghold of a rebel in the Ghouta

AFP

AFP

Friday, 16 march, 2018 03:20

UPDATE
Friday, 16 march, 2018 03:20

Look at this article

At least 10 civilians were killed in air raids aimed the stronghold of a rebel in the Ghouta orientale, the target of an offensive, destructive of the syrian regime for almost a month, reported Friday, the syrian Observatory Human rights (OSDH).

These raids, which have targeted the town of Saqba after midnight, have been charged by the OSDH to the aviation of Russia, loyal ally of the regime of Bashar al-Assad.

“Regime forces trying to advance towards the town of Saqba, according to the director of the OSDH, Rami Abdel Rahmane.

Supported by the allied Russian, the syrian regime has launched on 18 February in an offensive of rare intensity against the last stronghold of a rebel at the gates of Damascus. He has managed to reclaim more than 70%, and the territories still in the hands of the rebels have been divided into three sectors isolated, according to the OSDH, an NGO which has an extensive network of informants on the ground.

“Air strikes and the russians and the regime have targeted several localities in the pocket south of the rebel enclave, held by the (rebel group) Faylaq al-abd al-rahman”, said Mr. Abdel Rahmane.

On Thursday, some 20 000 civilians in the town of Hammouriyé and its surrounding, exhausted by weeks of bombing and years of siege, had fled this area south of the Ghouta front of the advance of syrian government forces.

Has Hammouriyé, reconquered completely earlier by the regime, fighting erupted on Thursday evening after a counter-offensive of the group jihadist Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham, now in the enclave, and the rebel faction Faylaq al-Rahmane.

“Hayat al-Tahrir al-Sham and Faylaq al-Rahmane have taken virtually all the town, but fighting continues on the outskirts,” said Friday morning Mr. Abdel Rahmane, related to the death of 14 fighters from the regime on this front.