UN decries apocalypse as Syria violence escalates

SYRIA’S regime sent reinforcements to Eastern Ghouta yesterday, tightening the noose around the shrinking rebel enclave hours before a top-level United Nations meeting on the escalating violence.

The blistering onslaught has prompted outrage against the regime, with the UN’s human rights chief saying the government was orchestrating an apocalypse in Syria.

The Russia-backed Syrian army and allied militia launched an offensive on February 18 to retake the last opposition bastion near Damascus.

It has since taken more than 40% of the enclave, waging a devastating bombing campaign that has killed more than 800 civilians. Heavy air strikes battered several key towns in the zone yesterday, as hundreds of progovernment militiamen were dispatched to the front.

“At least 700 Afghan, Palestinian and Syrian loyalist militiamen were sent late on Tuesday,” Syrian Observatory for Human Rights head Rami Abdel Rahman said.

The troops were within firing range yesterday of the key towns of Misraba and Beit Sawa, and had taken up positions at the edges of Jisreen and Hammuriyeh.

Three civilians including one child were killed in heavy air strikes, the Observatory said.

The bombardment has continued despite a month ceasefire demanded by the UN.