As fighting and shelling continues near front lines, rebels in Syria refuse to leave

News24xx.com -  Despite many attacks always continued from the Syrian government assisted by Russia, but rebels in Syria's Eastern Ghouta refused to leave and have insisted that they will defend the territory, and saying that the withdrawal proposed by Russians is not a serious offer.

Wael Olwan, of Failaq al-Rahman (Legion of Rahman), a major armed group linked to the Free Syrian Army in East Ghouta, said on Wednesday March 7, 2018 that Moscow insisted on using military escalation as a means to cause "mass transfer".

Earlier on Wednesday, Reuters News Agency reported that a military spokesman for an unnamed rebel group said they would not accept a negotiation put forward by Russia.

"There is no negotiation on this issue," Hamza Birqdar told Reuters in a text message, referring to Russia's offer to provide security to the rebels and their families out of the besieged East Ghouta.

Meanwhile, the government has said it will send reinforcements, including 700 fighters, to join in fighting against insurgent groups in a bid to defeated them in their last major stronghold, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said on Wednesday.

The suburb of Damascus has been under rebel control since mid-2013. Shortly thereafter, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad imposed a siege in the region, which housed about 400,000 people.

Over the years, and after several government-led bombing campaigns in an attempt to expel armed opposition groups, the inhabitants of the enclave have been experiencing a now worsening humanitarian crisis.

Since February 18, Russian-backed government fighters have intensified their bombing of East Ghouta, killing at least 770 people to date.

The recent war monitor has dubbed the attack the "bloodiest" that the country has seen in six years of conflict. Health officials in the besieged region accused the Syrian government forces of using chlorine gas in their last air bombing campaign.

A UN Security Council resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire and a Russian-sponsored ceasefire failed to evacuate trapped residents and allow much-needed aid flows including food and medicine.

The ground attacks that launched by Syrian troops to penetrate into the enclave have proved unsuccessful so far, as Syrian troops continue to fight rebels from various fields.

Claims that Syrian troops and pro-government allies have controlled more than a third of the enclave have been described as "inaccurate" by activists in the field.

The ongoing confrontation has caused many people living on the outskirts to move to Douma, one of the largest cities in East Ghouta, which is in the center of the enclave.

Among the small towns on the outskirts of the enclave are Misraba and Al-Shifoniyah - which are mainly targeted as a result of their proximity to combat.

Ali Al Khouli, an independent journalist based in Misraba, said that at least 6,000 families have been to Douma since Tuesday.

According to Khouli, about 3,000 families were displaced because they came to seek shelter in Misraba from other nearby villages in the enclave.

The government's relentless bombing campaign in East Ghouta and in Misraba in particular, has damaged most of the city's buildings and infrastructure.

"People are afraid," he said, "They do not want government troops reach their homes and kill them and their families," Khouli said.

"So many decided to leave, especially those who live on relatively open agricultural land, not only to Douma but to other central cities like Harasta," he explained,

"Every hour, at least five air strikes will hit the area."

The reopening of the air strikes on Tuesday came shortly after an aid convoy could not unload supplies to residents trapped inside the enclave, having managed to pass a government-controlled checkpoint for the first time in nearly a month.

Relief workers say that Syrian troops seize supplies on ships, and block the delivery of 70 percent of medical supplies.

 

 

 

 

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