Regime air strikes, clashes hit Ghouta despite ceasefire call

Smoke billows following Syrian government bombardments on Kafr Batna, in the besieged Eastern Ghouta region.- AFP

Douma (Syria) - After days of diplomatic wrangling, the Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria.

New regime air strikes and heavy clashes shook Syria's rebel enclave of Eastern Ghouta on Sunday despite a UN demand for a ceasefire to end one of the most ferocious assaults of Syria's civil war.
After days of diplomatic wrangling, the Security Council on Saturday adopted a resolution calling for a 30-day ceasefire in Syria "without delay", to allow for aid deliveries and medical evacuations.
Russia is a key ally of Assad's regime and in a phone call on Sunday German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron urged President Vladimir Putin to use his influence.
They called on Russia "to exercise maximum pressure on the Syrian regime to achieve an immediate suspension of air raids and fighting", Merkel's office said in a statement.
Pope Francis also joined international calls for a ceasefire, saying in his Sunday prayers: "All this is inhuman. One cannot fight evil with another evil."
In Douma, the main town in Eastern Ghouta, fresh air raids and artillery strikes could be heard on Sunday, a correspondent said.
At least seven civilians were killed in strikes on Sunday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group, bringing the total number of dead in the week to 527, including 129 children.
Although there appeared to be fewer air strikes, Observatory chief Rami Abdel Rahman said, fighting had intensified on the ground.
Heavy clashes erupted in southern areas of Eastern Ghouta, he said, with at least 13 members of pro-regime forces and six fighters from the Jaish Al Islam rebel group killed.
"They are the most violent clashes to take place since the beginning of the month," said Abdel Rahman.
Mohamed Alloush, a key figure in Jaish Al Islam, tweeted that the rebels were "resisting" bids by regime forces to enter the region.
Eastern Ghouta, home to some 400,000 people, is surrounded by government-controlled territory and its residents are unwilling or unable to flee.
The two main rebel groups controlling the enclave - Jaish Al Islam and Faylaq Al Rahman - welcomed the Security Council demand, but vowed to fight back in case of renewed attacks.
UN diplomats say Saturday's Security Council resolution was watered down to ensure it was not vetoed by Russia, which has provided diplomatic and military support to Assad's regime.
Language specifying that the ceasefire would start 72 hours after adoption was scrapped and the term "immediate" was dropped in reference to aid deliveries and evacuations.
In another concession, the ceasefire would not apply to operations against the Daesh group or Al Qaeda, along with "individuals, groups, undertakings and entities" associated with the terror groups.

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