Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Syrian raids kills 32 more people
United Nations resolution calls for 30-day humanitarian cease-fire
BEIRUT — Syrian government warplanes supported by Russia continued their relentless bombardment of the rebel-controlled eastern suburbs of Damascus for a sixth day Friday, killing 32 people, opposition activists and a war monitor reported. The death toll from the past week climbed to more than 400.
The new wave of bombings came a day after the Syrian army dropped leaflets over rebel-held eastern suburbs of the capital, Damascus, calling on residents to leave for their own safety and urging opposition fighters to hand themselves over. The leaflets were dropped by helicopters over the area known as eastern Ghouta, telling residents that they are surrounded on all sides by the Syrian army.
The number of casualties has overwhelmed rescuers and doctors at hospitals, many of which have also been bombed.
The opposition’s Syrian Civil Defense rescue group on Friday reported new airstrikes in Douma, Arbeen and other towns that make up the suburbs known as eastern Ghouta.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 32 people were killed in raids on areas including Hammouriyeh, Zamalka, Douma and al-Marj. The Britain-based group monitors the Syria war through a network of activists on the ground.
Syrian state TV reported Friday that insurgents fired 70 shells on Damascus, killing one person and wounding 60 others.
At the United Nations, last-minute negotiations were underway ahead of an expected vote on a Security Council resolution demanding a 30-day humanitarian cease-fire.
The resolution would allow attacks directed at extremists from the Islamic State group and all al-Qaida affiliates, including the Levant Liberation Committee, to continue. The Syrian government and its Russian allies say they are pursuing Islamic extremists and terrorists.
Russia’s U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia called a 30day cease-fire unrealistic and said it couldn’t be enforced.
But Sweden and Kuwait, which sponsored the resolution, have been pressing for immediate action as the deaths mount in eastern Ghouta. They rejected a key Russian-proposed amendment that would have ruled out an immediate cease-fire.
The final text the sponsors circulated Friday demands that a 30-day ceasefire take effect 72 hours after the resolution is adopted.
The final draft does include several other Russian proposals. It stresses the need for “guarantees” from countries with influence on government and opposition forces to support and create conditions for a lasting cease-fire. The sponsors also added text to the draft — on Russia’s request — expressing “outrage” at the shelling of Damascus, including on diplomatic premises.
U.N. Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura called again in a statement for an urgent cease-fire to relieve the “appalling suffering” of civilians in eastern Ghouta by stopping the bombing there and the “indiscriminate” mortar shelling of Damascus.
A main Syrian opposition group called on the international community to prevent Russia from voting on the new resolution, saying Moscow is part of the conflict in the Arab country.
Russia has been a main backer for Syrian President Bashar Assad and has joined the battle on his side since 2015, tipping the balance of power in his favor. Opposition activists say Russian warplanes are taking part in bombarding eastern Ghouta.
Salwa Aksoy, vice president of the Syrian National Coalition, told reporters in Turkey that according to the U.N. charter countries that are part of a conflict have no right to vote on draft resolutions.
The United States accused Assad of planning “to bomb or starve” opponents in besieged eastern Ghouta into submission — just as his forces did in Aleppo.
Kelley Currie, U.S. ambassador for economic and social affairs, told the U.N. Security Council that the Syrian leader is counting on Russia, a key ally and veto-wielding member of the council, to make sure it “is unable to stop their suffering.”
At the White House, President Donald Trump blamed Russia, Iran and the Syrian government for the recent violence in Syria, calling it a “humanitarian disgrace.” His comments came at a joint news conference with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull.
Separately, Human Rights Watch on Friday criticized the way Turkey is conducting its offensive in northern Syria, saying it has failed to take necessary precautions to avoid civilian casualties. The New York-based group cited three attacks in the Afrin region in late January that it says killed a total of 26 civilians, including 17 children. In a statement, it called on Turkey to thoroughly investigate these strikes and make the findings public.
Turkey launched an air and ground offensive in the Kurdish-controlled region on Jan. 20, saying it aims to clear Afrin of Syrian Kurdish militia known as the People’s Protection Units, which Turkey considers to be an offshoot of its own outlawed Kurdish rebels fighting in Turkey.
The People’s Protection Units on Friday accused Turkey of bombing a convoy of civilians that was crossing into Afrin to protest Turkey’s offensive, resulting in multiple casualties who were moved to hospitals in Afrin for treatment.
Syrian state TV had on Thursday night said a convoy carrying aid and heading toward Afrin had been targeted by Turkish artillery, inflicting casualties.
The incident came two days after pro-government fighters began entering the predominantly Kurdish town to shore up the Kurdish forces, after reaching an agreement with the People’s Protection Units.
Turkey’s military said Friday that it hit a convoy carrying weapons and ammunition in the countryside of a Kurdish-held enclave in northern Syria.