03 March 2018•Update: 04 March 2018
By Adham Kako
EASTERN GHOUTA, Syria
At least 21 civilians were killed by Bashar al-Assad regime forces in besieged Eastern Ghouta region on Saturday, Syrian Civil Defense sources said.
The regime's ground and air attacks continued on civilians in the opposition-hold area near capital Damascus despite decisions to implement a ceasefire made separately by Russia and the UN Security Council.
The sources from the Syrian Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, said that five civilians were killed in airstrikes in the town of Muhammadiya and 10 civilians were killed in Duma district in airstrikes and missile attacks.
Four civil defense officials were injured in the attacks.
Three people were also killed when Assad regime forces attack a residential area between Misraba and Duma districts with rocket and mortar shells.
The regime forces have carried out 40 airstrikes on Duma district on Saturday leaving many others injured. The injured were rushed to the hospitals.
Separately, another three civilians were also killed in Harasta district.
The death toll in the region may rise as the attacks are still ongoing. The number of casualties in Eastern Ghouta since Feb. 19 has reached 718.
Last Saturday, the UN Security Council adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria without delay.
Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb, has been under siege for the last five years and humanitarian access to the area, which is home to some 400,000 people, has been completely cut off.
In the past eight months, forces of the Assad regime have intensified their siege of Eastern Ghouta, making it nearly impossible for food or medicine to get into the district and leaving thousands of patients in need of treatment.
