Syrian and Russian Fighters Bomb Residential Areas in Eastern Ghouta

Eyewitnesses, rescuers, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights report that at least 27 people have been killed and dozens injured due to airstrikes believed to be carried out by Syrian and Russian fighters on rebel-controlled areas in eastern Damascus. It has been about three weeks since the heavy assaults by Syrian government forces began in Eastern Ghouta. According to Reuters, civilian rescuers state that at least 17 people were killed in airstrikes on a market and surrounding residential areas in the city of Hammuriyeh. Over the past 24 hours, several cities in the densely populated eastern Damascus area known as Eastern Ghouta have been targeted in 30 airstrikes. Civilian rescuers reported that four more people were killed in the city of Arbin, with the rest of the civilian casualties related to airstrikes on the cities of Misraba and Harasta. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which collects and publishes news about the war in the country, stated that civilian casualties on Sunday marked the highest number since the onset of attacks about 20 days ago. According to this organization, around 200 civilians, including many women and children, have been killed in the recent three weeks of airstrikes and shelling in these areas. Eastern Ghouta has been under siege by Syrian government forces since 2013, with the aim of forcing rebels to surrender or leave the area. In recent months, Syria has tightened the siege around these areas. Civilians and rescuers claim that the Syrian regime is deliberately using the economic blockade of the region as a weapon of war, a claim the Syrian government has denied. The United Nations states that approximately 400,000 civilians living in this besieged area are facing a "full-scale catastrophe." The Syrian government has prevented the transfer of humanitarian aid, and many people in urgent need of medical treatment are unable to leave the area. Reuters notes that Eastern Ghouta is the largest rebel-controlled area around Damascus, which has not yet reached an agreement with the government regarding the delivery of weapons and their transfer to rebel-controlled areas in northern Syria. Sadeq Ibrahim, a resident of Hammuriyeh, told Reuters in a phone call, "They target civilian areas. A fighter jet bombed an area where there are neither rebel forces nor checkpoints." Abdullah Khalil, another resident of the area who claims that family members were killed during airstrikes in Arbin, said, "I hope God takes revenge on the regime and Russia." Bombing in Eastern Ghouta intensified after rebel forces attacked a military center of the Syrian government last month, which was used for shelling rebel areas. Residents say that since government forces have been unable to retake this military center from the rebels, they have intensified retaliatory attacks on civilian areas in Eastern Ghouta in recent weeks. As a result of the advances of Syrian government forces over the past year, more people from other war-torn areas have moved to the crowded cities of Eastern Ghouta. At the same time, the destruction of agricultural lands has severely reduced food supplies in the region. Eastern Ghouta is one of the "de-escalation zones" that Russia and the rebels agreed upon months ago, aimed at freeing up Syrian army units to be sent to other war zones. The rebels accuse the Syrian army and the Russian government of violating this agreement and claim that their goal is to divert public attention from the daily and heavy attacks on civilian areas. The Syrian government and Russia deny bombing civilian areas, claiming that their aircraft only target the hideouts of extremist groups.