Civilians flee as Syrian army advances

BEIRUT: Hundreds of Syrians fled a rebel-held town in eastern Ghouta yesterday and crossed by foot to government-held positions, as the Syrian army pressed its advance into the last major opposition stronghold near the capital Damascus, according to a witness.

Men, women and children carrying blankets, bags and suitcases walked along a dirt road towards Hammouriyeh, footage broadcast by al-Mayadeen, a pro-government television station, showed.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said more than 3 000 people had left Hammouriyeh towards positions held by advancing government forces. It marked the first time a large group of people had fled the enclave since the army launched an offensive to recapture it last month, observatory director Rami Abdulrahman said.

Earlier this week, hundred of sick and wounded people were evacuated from eastern Ghouta.

What had been the Syrian opposition’s largest piece of territory near Damascus has been split into three encircled pockets by a government offensive that began a month ago.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said 25 aid trucks entered its northern pocket, controlled by rebel faction Jaish al-Islam, and was headed to the town of Douma.

Spokesperson Iolanda Jaquemet said the convoy, which entered through the al-Wafideen crossing, contained enough food aid for 26 100 people for a month, among other items.

The convoy contained 5 220 ICRC food parcels and 5 220 World Food Programme flour bags, Jaquemet said. A parcel can feed a family of five for one month.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that overnight, dozens of air strikes and shelling hit eastern Ghouta’s southern pocket.

Moscow and Damascus say their forces only target armed militants and seek to stop mortar attacks by insurgents that killed dozens of people in the capital. They accuse the rebels of using civilians as human shields, which the fighters deny. – Reuters/African News Agency (ANA)