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| Ghouta: thousands of civilians flee as shelling continues | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of civilians have fled the besieged region of eastern Ghouta towards Syrian government troops, seeking shelter from an overnight bombardment that killed dozens of people and levelled much of a town in the enclave. | |
| Videos broadcast by Russian television stations showed throngs of civilians marching out of the area after enduring three weeks of bombardment that has killed over 1,500 civilians in what was described by UN officials as “hell on earth”. | |
| The images of their flight towards government troops that had bombarded their homes the previous night underscored the desperation of civilians faced with a choice of death under the rubble of their homes or displacement and possible retribution by advancing forces loyal to the regime of Bashar al-Assad, who seek to crush the last opposition-held enclave near the capital, Damascus. | |
| The flight from the town of Hamouriyeh on Thursday after a night of destruction was confirmed by the war monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which said 3,000 people fled the area towards regime lines. Syrian state TV said thousands more had fled. | |
| It was unclear if the initial exodus might lead to further flight among the estimated 300,000 civilians still in eastern Ghouta, encouraged by the initial wave. But local medics reported ongoing airstrikes and artillery bombardment in various areas of the region even as civilians streamed out. | |
| Many were left questioning what guarantees for safety they would have if they were to leave. | |
| Local medics said 43 people were killed on Wednesday in the besieged rebel-held enclave of eastern Ghouta, compounding the humanitarian catastrophe in a region where more than 1,500 people have been killed in three weeks of relentless bombardment. The death toll rose during the afternoon as other towns in eastern Ghouta continued to suffer airstrikes and shelling that residents said had continued overnight. | |
| Local medics issued urgent distress calls as forces loyal to the Syrian government tightened the noose on besieged civilians and breached rebel lines in Hamouriyeh, sending civilians fleeing from the town that last week endured an apparent toxic gas attack. | |
| “More than 5,000 people are at risk of annihilation,” said a doctor in the town by text message. “Please get our voice out to the world, this might be the last message I’m able to send. The wounded are in the streets and cannot be moved and the planes are targeting any movement. Dozens of families are trying to flee under fire and we don’t know their fate.” | “More than 5,000 people are at risk of annihilation,” said a doctor in the town by text message. “Please get our voice out to the world, this might be the last message I’m able to send. The wounded are in the streets and cannot be moved and the planes are targeting any movement. Dozens of families are trying to flee under fire and we don’t know their fate.” |
| The doctor has been unreachable since Wednesday night, the eve of the seventh anniversary of the revolt against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. | The doctor has been unreachable since Wednesday night, the eve of the seventh anniversary of the revolt against the regime of Bashar al-Assad. |
| The death of 44 civilians on Wednesday brought the total number of civilians killed since 19 February in eastern Ghouta to 1,540, according to local civilian authorities, a figure that laid bare the civilian cost of a revolution turned civil war that has now killed more than half a million people as it entered its eighth year on Thursday, with no end in sight. | The death of 44 civilians on Wednesday brought the total number of civilians killed since 19 February in eastern Ghouta to 1,540, according to local civilian authorities, a figure that laid bare the civilian cost of a revolution turned civil war that has now killed more than half a million people as it entered its eighth year on Thursday, with no end in sight. |
| The civilian death toll is unconfirmed due to the fact that many bodies remain unclaimed under the rubble of homes. The Assad regime’s offensive in the region, once the breadbasket of Damascus, aims to crush the last opposition stronghold near the Syrian capital. | The civilian death toll is unconfirmed due to the fact that many bodies remain unclaimed under the rubble of homes. The Assad regime’s offensive in the region, once the breadbasket of Damascus, aims to crush the last opposition stronghold near the Syrian capital. |
| Some 300,000 civilians have been under siege for years in eastern Ghouta, which over the course of the war suffered the deadliest chemical attack of the conflict in 2013, killing more than 1,200 people. | Some 300,000 civilians have been under siege for years in eastern Ghouta, which over the course of the war suffered the deadliest chemical attack of the conflict in 2013, killing more than 1,200 people. |
| Regime forces backed by Russian airstrikes have split the region into three distinct areas, each under blockade, as relentless waves of aerial and artillery bombardment pummel the enclave. | Regime forces backed by Russian airstrikes have split the region into three distinct areas, each under blockade, as relentless waves of aerial and artillery bombardment pummel the enclave. |
| “They are taking town and after town and everything has been burned,” said another doctor in the town of Arbin. “It is systematic destruction that is meant to bring down the entire area on the heads of its residents. There is no place to flee to. People are scared of a slaughter,” he added. | “They are taking town and after town and everything has been burned,” said another doctor in the town of Arbin. “It is systematic destruction that is meant to bring down the entire area on the heads of its residents. There is no place to flee to. People are scared of a slaughter,” he added. |
| The violence has continued despite an ongoing deal to evacuate wounded civilians on a list agreed upon with the government from another town in the enclave, Douma, supervised by the Red Cross and Red Crescent. It has persisted also despite a UN security council resolution calling for a month-long ceasefire “without delay” and unimpeded humanitarian aid deliveries. | The violence has continued despite an ongoing deal to evacuate wounded civilians on a list agreed upon with the government from another town in the enclave, Douma, supervised by the Red Cross and Red Crescent. It has persisted also despite a UN security council resolution calling for a month-long ceasefire “without delay” and unimpeded humanitarian aid deliveries. |
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