AFP :
Fresh air strikes hit rebel-held areas of Syria’s Eastern Ghouta on Sunday, a monitor said, after more than 80 people were killed in weekend raids including an alleged chemical attack denounced by the United States.
Sunday’s strikes came despite reports of a ceasefire and the potential resumption of talks between Syria’s regime and Jaish al-Islam, the last rebel faction in Ghouta.
Allegations of a chlorine gas attack on Saturday were causing widespread international concern, but Syrian state media and regime ally Russia denounced the claims as “fabrications”.
Assad’s forces renewed their assault on Douma, the last rebel-controlled town in Eastern Ghouta, on Friday after talks over an evacuation of Jaish al-Islam fighters broke down.
The regime has used a fierce military onslaught and two negotiated withdrawals to retake control of 95 percent of Eastern Ghouta, once the main rebel stronghold close to Damascus.
It appeared last week that Douma would follow suit,
Fresh air strikes hit rebel-held areas of Syria’s Eastern Ghouta on Sunday, a monitor said, after more than 80 people were killed in weekend raids including an alleged chemical attack denounced by the United States.
Sunday’s strikes came despite reports of a ceasefire and the potential resumption of talks between Syria’s regime and Jaish al-Islam, the last rebel faction in Ghouta.
Allegations of a chlorine gas attack on Saturday were causing widespread international concern, but Syrian state media and regime ally Russia denounced the claims as “fabrications”.
Assad’s forces renewed their assault on Douma, the last rebel-controlled town in Eastern Ghouta, on Friday after talks over an evacuation of Jaish al-Islam fighters broke down.
The regime has used a fierce military onslaught and two negotiated withdrawals to retake control of 95 percent of Eastern Ghouta, once the main rebel stronghold close to Damascus.
It appeared last week that Douma would follow suit,
with the evacuation of hundreds of rebels and their families, but there were reports of divisions among the rebels with hardliners refusing to go.
