Bombardment by warplanes on the Eastern Qalamoun and clashes renewed in the Eastern Ghouta

Rif Dimashq province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: Warplanes carried out raids on places in Jabal al-Afa’ei area in the Eastern Qalamoun, which caused material damage, but no information about casualties, while the clashes continue between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them against the Islamic factions in areas in the vicinity of Ein Tarma in the Eastern Ghouta, amid exchange of targeting, no information about casualties.

In another context, clashes renewed between fighters of Jaysh al-Islam against Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham in places at al-Ashari area in the Eastern Ghouta, amid exchange of shelling between both parties, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented the death of at least 20 fighters of Jaysh al-Islam who were killed and injured in these clashes, at least 7 of them were confirmed dead, while 9 fighters at least of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham were killed and injured in these clashes, which were accompanied by exchange of targeting between both parties, also the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published that an exchange of prisoners took place between al-Rahman corps and Jaish Al-Islam in the Eastern Ghouta, and cross sources asserted to the Syrian Observatory that 2 batches of prisoners of each party have been exchanged between both parties, and every batch is consisted of at least 17 persons, who were arrested during the clashes which began late April 2017, where violent clashes took place yesterday between the fighters of Al-Rahman Corps and Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham on one hand and the fighters of Jaysh Al-Islam on the other in areas in Bayt Sowa, Mesraba, and Al-Ash’ari area farms in the Eastern Ghouta, amid an exchange of targeting with heavy machine guns between both parties.

It is worth mentioning that the fighting has caused the death of at least 156 fighters of both sides since April 2017, including 67 fighters of Jaysh Al-Islam. Casualties includes 6 commanders. Specifically, the Head of the Military Service Authority, one of the highest-ranking commanders in Al-Rahman Legion, the Commander of Al-Marj Operation Room, the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Brigade in Jaysh Al-Islam, the commander of a security detachment in Al-Rahman Legion and the Head of Security in Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham in Arbin city. The fighting also resulted in tens of injuries at both sides, some of whom are in a critical condition. The SOHR also documented the death of 13 civilians at least, including two children, and tens of civilian injuries, with various degrees of severity.

It also documented that the bloody fighting between Jaysh Al-Islam on one hand and Al-Rahman Corps and Jaysh Al-Fustat, formed from the members of Al-Nusra Front (Al-Qaeda in the Levant) on the other, which broke out late April 2016, resulted in the death of more than 500 fighters and the imprisonment and injury of hundreds of them at both sides in addition to the death of around 10 civilians, including 4 children, female citizens and the only gynecologist in the Eastern Ghouta.