Fighting resumes in eastern Ghouta despite humanitarian pause
SYRIA - Airstrikes and mortar attacks have resumed in the rebel-held Syrian enclave of eastern Ghouta, hours into the first daily “humanitarian pause” ordered by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin.
The fresh clashes on Tuesday highlight the limits of Russia’s influence over Syria’s president, Bashar alAssad, and raise doubts about the sincerity of its effort to limit the violence. Residents and activists said the violence was continuing despite claims that a humanitarian corridor would be opened to allow civilians to escape. “Only the fighter planes have been reduced, but the shelling and land-to-land rockets are continuing,” said Nour Adam, an activist in the area. “None of the families or civilians have come out of the bomb shelters because nobody trusts the regime or the Russians.” The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said earlier it had been largely calm in eastern Ghouta since midnight, though four rockets hit the town of Douma on Tuesday morning. By midday it appeared the shelling had resumed, along with airstrikes targeting several towns in the region, where more than 500 people have been killed in eight days of intense violence. Putin’s move, announced on Monday by his defense minister, Sergei Shoigu, highlighted Russia’s primacy in Syrian affairs and the UN’s failure to impose a ceasefire in the area bordering Damascus.
The move by Moscow follows mounting international condemnation of the violence, with the UN secretary general, António Guterres, describing the situation in eastern Ghouta as “hell on earth”. The Russian defense ministry said on Monday the measures, decided in agreement with Syrian forces, were intended to help civilians leave and to evacuate the sick and wounded. Residents said on Wednesday they were unaware of the corridors and would rather stay than be displaced. One humanitarian official also cast doubt on the corridors idea, saying it was a media ploy by the regime and its allies. “It’s not to save the people,” the official said. “It’s exactly the same propaganda war, more for media than civilians.” (The Guardian)