Carnage is continuing

SYRIAN Government forces have launched a ground assault on the edge of the rebelheld eastern Ghouta enclave, seeking to gain territory despite a Russian plan for fivehour daily ceasefires.

Hundreds of people died in 11 days of bombing of eastern Ghouta, a swathe of towns and farms outside Damascus that is the last major rebel-controlled area near the capital.

The onslaught was one of the fiercest of Syria’s civil war, now entering its eighth year.

The UN Security Council, including President Bashar alAssad’s strongest ally Russia, passed a resolution on Saturday calling for a 30-day countrywide ceasefire.

But the measure did not take effect, with Moscow and Damascus saying they were battling members of terrorist groups excluded from the truce.

Russia instead called for daily five-hour local ceasefires.