The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

After their advancement today morning in tens of farms, the regime forces continue violent attack backed by aerial and ground shelling

Rif Dimashq province – The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights:: the military operations in Douma are still ongoing in Douma, in conjunction with the continued shelling. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the ongoing violent clashes taking place between the regime forces and their allied militiamen of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against Jaish Al-Islam in areas in the vicinity of Douma area, where the regime forces continue their attempts to achieve more advancement in the area after they managed today morning to advance in the farms of Douma from the direction of Al-Raihan area. The regime forces managed to advance in 50 farms in the area following series of ongoing ground and aerial shelling of the regime forces and their warplanes and helicopters, which target the city and its vicinity.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published today that the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights learned that 8 persons at least where killed and others were injured with varying severity, as a result of the bombardment by warplanes and explosive barrels, on areas in Douma city and its outskirts, which rose the death toll to 48 civilian casualties including 8 children and 6 citizen women since yesterday, as a result of the ongoing bombardment on Douma, in conjunction with the shelling by the regime forces on areas in the outskirts of Douma, amid clashes between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities against Jaysh Al-Islam, in areas in the vicinity of Douma in the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, as a result of attempts by the regime forces to advance in the area at the expense of Jaysh Al-Islam, and clamp down on it, to impose conclusive and complete conditions and reach a new agreement enables the regime forces to end all military operations in the Eastern Ghouta.

the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them managed to achieve advancement under a cover of intensive shelling, where the regime forces managed to take the control of Al-Rihan Farms, as they managed to take the control of a number of farms reached about 50 farms, amid information about confirmed human losses in the ranks of the both parties, while the regime forces are seeking to achieve further advancement into more than one area, to confine Jaysh Al-Islam in narrower extent.

And the SOHR published yesterday, that it obtained a copy of a paper containing the Russian response to the submissions made by Jaysh Islam, the Russian reply emphasized on that Jaysh al-Islam must hand over its weapons, the thing which was noted by the Syrian Observatory today morning, Friday. The Russian response came through the General in charge of negotiating with Jaysh al-Islam reads:

“1- You hand over heavy weapons, the government moving backwards, you make sure that the government is pulling heavy weapons, and we ensure that warplanes will not be used.

2- The heavy weapon is delivered for three days.

3- You hand over light weapons, and at the same time the government withdraws the forces for one week.

4- Who hands over his weapon, his situation will be settled, and whose situation is settled applies for enlistment in the police which will be formed and Russia is the guarantor.

5- After the settling the situations (for two weeks), a police battalion of fighters of Jaysh al-Islam will be formed.

6- The battalion receives Russian weapons and proceeds to fight ISIS and Nusra.

7- The Russian military police will stand tomorrow on the checkpoints and free movement in the city.

8- After disarmament, a committee of Rif Dimashq Province comes to solve all the problems of the city.”

And in the same context, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights obtained a copy of the proposals offered by Jaysh Al-Islam yesterday which the Russian side refused, reads:

“1- Completing the transfer of the fighters and activists with their families to the Syrian North, and we expect that will be finished soon.

2- Holding an extensive and permanent ceasefire between all parties including all kinds of military attacks by all types of weapons including aerial bombing.

3- Forming a joint committee of the Russian military police and Jaysh Al-Islam whose task is to disarm the heavy weapons and establish the places where they will be exist and those who will be in charge of them, on condition that the weapons remain in their places and this committee will start on the 7th of April 2018.

4- The Russian military police will establish observation points at the entrances of the crossings and some points in the fronts between the regime forces and Jaysh Al-Islam, to ensure that the ceasefire will not be breached and these points will start on the 7th of April 2018.

5- Forming a joint committee of Jaysh Al-Islam and the Russian military police whose task is to disarm the light and medium weapons, and the final handing over of weapons is connected to the comprehensive political solution in Syria, and the work of this committee will start on the 17th of April 2018.

6- Entering committees of non-governmental civil institutions to organize civil works and to approve the civil operations carried out during the previous period in accordance with the laws of the state, and these committees will be entered on the 7th of April 2018.

7- Forming a civil police of the members of the existing civil police after a list of their names is brought to the Ministry of the Interior in Damascus, their number reaches 1000 members and will be affiliated to the Ministry of Interior in the terms of salaries, laws and services.

8- Approving the courts of Douma and to be subordinate to the Ministry of Justice.

9- Agreeing to international guarantees, to prevent the entry of regime forces and security into the city.

10- Ensuring the right of Jaysh Al-Islam to engage in the political opposition action, and the independence of its political movement inside and outside Syria.

11- The crossing will be freely and securely opened for persons and goods, when the Russian military police station opens at the crossing.

12- Ensuring the return of people want to come back of those who have been displaced to the Syrian north.