Thousands flee, 41 killed in Eastern Ghouta

UN ‘failed to prevent’ Syria crimes: opposition

ARBIN: Thousands of terrified Syrian civilians fled for their lives yesterday, as they sought to escape two raging offensives in a rebel bastion outside Damascus and a northwestern Kurdish enclave, reports AFP.

Syria’s civil war this week entered its eighth year with world powers unable to stem a complex conflict that has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced at least half the country’s population.

Tens of thousands have taken to the roads, as Russia-backed regime fighters advance against rebels in Eastern Ghouta outside the capital and Turkey-led forces press an assault in the Kurdish enclave of Afrin.

Air strikes killed at least 30 civilians in the town of Zamalka in Eastern Ghouta on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported.

The fresh bombardment came as around 10,000 people streamed out of the last rebel bastion on the capital’s doorstep on Saturday morning, the Britain-based war monitor said.

An AFP reporter in the nearby town of Arbin heard intense bombardment.

Regime forces have retaken 70 percent of Eastern Ghouta since February 18, carving it up into three shrinking pockets held by different rebels.

The regime assault has killed more than 1,390 civilians in the enclave, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground. “Warplanes targeted civilians in Zamalka as they prepared to flee,” the southern area of the enclave held by the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. “Women and children are on the floor,” said Abu Khaled, 35, who used to run a clothing shop in Ghouta.

Since 2013, Eastern Ghouta’s estimated 400,000 residents had lived under government siege, facing severe food and medecine shortages.

In northwestern Syria meanwhile, more than 200,000 civilians have escaped their homes in the Kurdish-majority city of Afrin in less than three days, the Observatory said.

On yesterday, a Turkish air strike killed 11 civilians in the city as they were preparing to leave, it said. The monitor says more than 280 civilians have been killed since the Afrin battle began, but Ankara has denied the reports and repeatedly said it takes the “utmost care” to avoid civilian casualties.

A single escape route remains open to the south to territory still held by the YPG or controlled by the Damascus government. “Civilians are fleeing through the southern corridor,” Abdel Rahman said.

Afrin has come under heavy air and artillery bombardment by the Turkish army.

On Friday evening, a Turkish bombing raid struck the city’s main hospital, killing 16 civilians, a monitor said.

Turkey’s military denied hitting the hospital, saying that its operation in Afrin “is carried out in such a way as to not cause any harm to civilians”.

 

Thousands flee, 41 killed in Eastern Ghouta

UN failed to prevent Syria crimes: opposition

ARBIN: Thousands of terrified Syrian civilians fled for their lives yesterday, as they sought to escape two raging offensives in a rebel bastion outside Damascus and a northwestern Kurdish enclave, reports AFP. Syrias civil war this week entered its eighth year with world powers unable to stem a complex conflict that has killed more than 350,000 people and displaced at least half the countrys population. Tens of thousands have taken to the roads, as Russia-backed regime fighters advance against rebels in Eastern Ghouta outside the capital and Turkey-led forces press an assault in the Kurdish enclave of Afrin. Air strikes killed at least 30 civilians in the town of Zamalka in Eastern Ghouta on Saturday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group reported. The fresh bombardment came as around 10,000 people streamed out of the last rebel bastion on the capitals doorstep on Saturday morning, the Britain-based war monitor said. An AFP reporter in the nearby town of Arbin heard intense bombardment. Regime forces have retaken 70 percent of Eastern Ghouta since February 18, carving it up into three shrinking pockets held by different rebels. The regime assault has killed more than 1,390 civilians in the enclave, according to the Observatory, which relies on a network of sources on the ground. Warplanes targeted civilians in Zamalka as they prepared to flee, the southern area of the enclave held by the Faylaq al-Rahman rebel group, Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman said. Women and children are on the floor, said Abu Khaled, 35, who used to run a clothing shop in Ghouta. Since 2013, Eastern Ghoutas estimated 400,000 residents had lived under government siege, facing severe food and medecine shortages. In northwestern Syria meanwhile, more than 200,000 civilians have escaped their homes in the Kurdish-majority city of Afrin in less than three days, the Observatory said. On yesterday, a Turkish air strike killed 11 civilians in the city as they were preparing to leave, it said. The monitor says more than 280 civilians have been killed since the Afrin battle began, but Ankara has denied the reports and repeatedly said it takes the utmost care to avoid civilian casualties. A single escape route remains open to the south to territory still held by the YPG or controlled by the Damascus government. Civilians are fleeing through the southern corridor, Abdel Rahman said. Afrin has come under heavy air and artillery bombardment by the Turkish army. On Friday evening, a Turkish bombing raid struck the citys main hospital, killing 16 civilians, a monitor said. Turkeys military denied hitting the hospital, saying that its operation in Afrin is carried out in such a way as to not cause any harm to civilians.