Al Jazeera News :
At least 16 children and four women were killed when a school in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta was hit by an air raid as the government bombardment of the enclave resumed following a brief lull, activists told Al Jazeera.
The attack on a school sheltering the children occured in the town of Irbin on Monday night, the activists said.
Overnight shelling of remaining rebel-held towns of the enclave has killed a total of 32 people, the activists added.
The area, which has been under rebel control since mid-2013, has been under a relentless bombing campaign, launched by Russian-backed Syrian forces a month ago.
According to the UN, hundreds of people have been killed as government forces and its Russian allies attempt to drive out armed opposition groups from Eastern Ghouta. Activists and monitors say, however, the death toll is much higher, with some reporting as many as 1,400 killed.
Jaish al-Islam, one of the rebel groups in the area, launched a counterattack
on Monday, activists said. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have reportedly captured 80 percent of the enclave.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon, said that talks between the Russians and rebel fighters were “happening”, but the renewed bombardment was an indication that negotiations were not “going well”.
While the pro-government alliance seeks a full surrender, rebels want a ceasefire deal, Khodr said.
“They are now in a weak position, and are shrinking in rebel-controlled territories under heavy fire, particularly in the town of Douma … and Irbin,” she said.
‘War crimes’
Though thousands have fled to various shelters in government-controlled territories, some 340,000 remain trapped inside, suffering from acute food shortages and a lack of medical supplies, the activists told Al Jazeera.
People in Eastern Ghouta have been appealing for international support and for monitors to be deployed on the ground to ensure their safety and protection in case government forces seize more territory in the enclave.
On Monday, Assad visited army posts in the area. The pro-government alliance considers the latest operation as a victory, Khodr noted, while human rights organisations express concern over missing civilians.
Lama Fakih, Human Rights Watch’s deputy Middle East director, told Al Jazeera in order to ensure the security of people fleeing from Eastern Ghouta, “We do need to have monitors on the ground.”
“No one needs to be reminded of the violations that we have seen in places of detention by government forces,” she said.
At least 16 children and four women were killed when a school in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta was hit by an air raid as the government bombardment of the enclave resumed following a brief lull, activists told Al Jazeera.
The attack on a school sheltering the children occured in the town of Irbin on Monday night, the activists said.
Overnight shelling of remaining rebel-held towns of the enclave has killed a total of 32 people, the activists added.
The area, which has been under rebel control since mid-2013, has been under a relentless bombing campaign, launched by Russian-backed Syrian forces a month ago.
According to the UN, hundreds of people have been killed as government forces and its Russian allies attempt to drive out armed opposition groups from Eastern Ghouta. Activists and monitors say, however, the death toll is much higher, with some reporting as many as 1,400 killed.
Jaish al-Islam, one of the rebel groups in the area, launched a counterattack
on Monday, activists said. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have reportedly captured 80 percent of the enclave.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Beirut in neighbouring Lebanon, said that talks between the Russians and rebel fighters were “happening”, but the renewed bombardment was an indication that negotiations were not “going well”.
While the pro-government alliance seeks a full surrender, rebels want a ceasefire deal, Khodr said.
“They are now in a weak position, and are shrinking in rebel-controlled territories under heavy fire, particularly in the town of Douma … and Irbin,” she said.
‘War crimes’
Though thousands have fled to various shelters in government-controlled territories, some 340,000 remain trapped inside, suffering from acute food shortages and a lack of medical supplies, the activists told Al Jazeera.
People in Eastern Ghouta have been appealing for international support and for monitors to be deployed on the ground to ensure their safety and protection in case government forces seize more territory in the enclave.
On Monday, Assad visited army posts in the area. The pro-government alliance considers the latest operation as a victory, Khodr noted, while human rights organisations express concern over missing civilians.
Lama Fakih, Human Rights Watch’s deputy Middle East director, told Al Jazeera in order to ensure the security of people fleeing from Eastern Ghouta, “We do need to have monitors on the ground.”
“No one needs to be reminded of the violations that we have seen in places of detention by government forces,” she said.
