Government forces put squeeze on rebels and tens of thousands of civilians trapped in enclave

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Syrian government forces have seized vast swathes of territory from rebels in the opposition-held suburbs of Damascus, effectively dividing the besieged enclave of eastern Ghouta in two and further squeezing rebels and the tens of thousands of civilians trapped inside.



The government, determined to wrest the suburbs from the control of rebels after seven years of war, has resorted to extreme levels of shelling and bombardment to clear the way for its troops to advance on the ground.



The campaign has so far left at least 800 civilians dead.

The state-affiliated al-Ikhbariya TV station on Wednesday broadcast live shots from the region, showing dense columns of smoke rising above the town as explosions and rockets could be heard flying overhead. Syrian state media said troops took control of the town of Beit Sawa and most of Misraba, both rebel-held communities in the heart of the enclave.

Q&A Why is the regime targeting eastern Ghouta? Show Hide Eastern Ghouta is the last rebel-held enclave bordering the Syrian capital, Damascus. Since 2013, forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad have imposed a suffocating and deadly siege on the area. Yet several insurgent factions have retained control. This month, Syria’s army launched one of the most intense bombardments of the war, saying their assault was necessary to end rebel mortar strikes on the capital. Residents accuse Russia of also bombing Ghouta, a mixture of dense suburbs and fields that once served as the breadbasket for Damascus. Photograph: Mohammed Badra/EPA

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said that by nightfall Syrian government troops and allied militias had seized half of the territory held by rebels in eastern Ghouta and split the enclave in two halves, a north and southern part.



By slicing the territory, the Syrian government succeeds in severing supply routes and squeezing further the rebels inside.

Dramatic videos released by the opposition’s Syrian Civil Defence on Wednesday showed rescuers digging away rubble to rescue a dust-covered little boy and a baby girl in the town of Arbeen.

The British-based Observatory, which monitors the war through a network of activists on the ground, said 40 people were killed in the bombardment on Wednesday.

In Geneva, UN human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein denounced what he said were attempts by Syria’s government to justify indiscriminate, brutal attacks on hundreds of thousands of civilians by the need to combat a few hundred fighters in eastern Ghouta, calling it “legally and morally unsustainable”.

“When you are prepared to kill your own people, lying is easy too. Claims by the government of Syria that it is taking every measure to protect its civilian population are frankly ridiculous,” he said.

Aid workers who entered eastern Ghouta briefly on Monday said some residents hadn’t seen sunlight for two weeks because they were sheltering underground.

The Observatory claim 867 civilians have been killed since the offensive started on 18 February.

Russia’s military, by its own admission, is playing a key role supporting the assault.

Russia suspected of using 'dumb' bombs to shift blame for Syria war crimes Read more

Russia announced Monday it was offering safe passage for rebels and their families out of eastern Ghouta, where some 400,000 people have been trapped under a relentless government campaign of shelling and airstrikes.

Rebel spokesman Wael Olwan dismissed the offer on Tuesday, saying it was “psychological warfare”.

Olwan said that rebels had plugged their defensive lines after they crumbled in the early days of the assault.

The opposition generally rejects evacuation agreements, saying they amount to demographic engineering, a tactic through which the government forcibly displaces its opponents.

UN secretary general Antonio Guterres has urged all parties to abide by a 30-day ceasefire ordered by the security council on 24 February to allow humanitarian aid to reach civilians in desperate need.

Quick guide What is the UN security council and why is it paralysed over Syria? Show Hide What is it? The security council is the UN’s most powerful body, the only one with the authority to issue legally binding resolutions that can be backed up by sanctions, blue-helmeted peacekeepers or by force of arms. Who is on it? There are five permanent members – China, France, Russia, the UK and the US – and 10 temporary members at any one time, elected by the general assembly for two-year terms. Why hasn’t it taken stronger action against Syria? For a resolution to be passed, nine of the 15 council members must vote for it, but permanent members have a veto. Russia has repeatedly blocked resolutions targeting its ally, Syria. China has also vetoed resolutions on Syria. What can be done to solve the veto problem? One possible remedy is to expand the security council and its permanent membership, but the existing members have mixed feelings. The UK and France say they are in favour, the US and Russia are more tepid and China is against it. Another possible remedy involves reining in the use of the veto. France and others argue an immediate fix would be for permanent members to waive their veto rights in cases of mass atrocities, but Russia is adamant in its opposition. Photograph: UPI / Barcroft Images/Barcroft Media

A rare humanitarian aid convoy made it to eastern Ghouta on Monday but was forced to cut short its mission amid severe bombardment by the government. It was not clear whether another convoy, planned for Thursday, would go through. Aid agencies said they were negotiating security guarantees ahead of the mission.

The security council was expected to meet Wednesday to address the ceasefire.