‘ Truce’ takes effect in Syria enclave
DOUMA, Syria: A humanitarian “pause” announced by Russia in Syria’s deadly bombardment of Eastern Ghouta took effect Tuesday, offering a short window for the enclave’s traumatized residents to emerge from their basements.
began at 9 a.m. local time, was announced by Russia under pressure from international powers anxious to stop more than a week of air killed more than 500 people.
Moscow said it would allow some of the nearly 400,000 people living in the rebel- held area to leave the battered enclave through safe corridors.
Russia hinted regime forces had not ruled out targeting certain reported at least once after the start of the truce but no major breaches were immediately recorded.
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Geneva said it was not yet clear when aid could be sent in.
“We cannot send people on a convoy in any area on the promises of whomever. We have to see on the ground” before aid trucks can be deployed, Jens Laerke told Agence France-Presse.
The “pause” falls short of the Nations had supported in a bid to stop one of the bloodiest assaults
“Five hours is better than no hours, but we would like to see an end to all hostilities extended by 30 days, as stipulated by the Security Council,” UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, more than 550 civilians—almost a quarter of them children—were killed in nine days of bombardment.
Air strikes, barrel bombs dropped by regime aircraft and heavy artillery shelling have turned several towns in Eastern Ghouta
enclave—which lies within mortar range of central Damascus and is controlled by Islamist and jihadist groups—have also claimed around 20 lives in regime-controlled areas in recent days.
‘ Truce is a farce’
Residents in the enclave were relieved to have some respite from the bombs that have rained on their homes since February 18, reluctant to leave the enclave.
Some residents left the basements they had been cowering in for days to check on their property and buy food despite skyrocketing prices in the enclave, besieged since 2013.
“This Russian truce is a farce. Russia is killing us and bombing us every day,” said Samer alBuaidhani, a 25-year-old resident of Douma, which is the main town in Eastern Ghouta.
“I don’t believe it’s safe for me or my family to leave by this system,” he told AFP, when asked about the Russian pledge to open humanitarian corridors.
A statement by Russia’s Centre for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria said t he decision to enforce a “humanitarian pause” was made jointly with Damascus.