The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

70 casualties at least including about 30 children and woman and hundreds of injured persons in about 48 hours of shelling escalation on Douma city in the Eastern Ghouta

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the  intensification of aerial and missile shelling by the regime forces, warplanes, and helicopters, which targeted Douma city in the Eastern Ghouta on Saturday evening, the 7th of  April 2018, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored the shelling causing the death of tens of civilians and the injury of many others, where the Syrian Observatory has documented so far the death of 22 persons at least, raising to at least 30 including 8 children and 7 women, the number of people who were killed on Saturday in Douma city, which in turn raises  to at least 70 including 16 children and 13 women, the number of people who were killed since yesterday, Friday, and the death toll is expected to rise because there are some people in critical situation, also reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory that some of the casualties and injured people had been subjected to suffocation due to the demolition of basements of houses as a result of the heavy and intense shelling of Douma city, and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights published hours ago that 11 people at least including 5 children had suffocated, after bombardment by a warplane on an area near the old cemetery at the northern outskirts of Douma city in the Eastern Ghouta.

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.”