Aerial raids and regime’s shelling continue to breach the Eastern Ghouta truce and the first casualty documented in the shelling on the east of Damascus

Violations continue to be committed since this morning, Thursday the 27th of July 2017, as the number of raids carried out by warplanes on two towns under the control of Jaysh Al-Islam in Al-Marj area in the Eastern Ghouta, namely Otaya and Al-Zriqiyyeh rose to at least 7. Raids were accompanied by five shells launched by the regime forces on areas in both towns. Meanwhile, warplanes targeted areas at the outskirts of Zamalka-Ein Tarma road in conjunction with another raid they carried out on Zamalka city, causing the injury of 7 civilians. Meanwhile, the regime forces shelled the raided places with tens of artillery shells. The SOHR also documented the death of one person and the injury of several others as a result of firing a missile, believed to be ground-to-ground, on an area at the outskirts of Jobar neighborhood from Zamalka side. This is considered the first martyr to lose his life in rocket shelling by the regime forces on east Damascus since the truce came into effect in the Eastern Ghouta.

The SOHR documented raids carried out by warplanes on places in Al-Marj area, which is controlled by Jaysh Al-Islam in the Eastern Ghouta. No casualties have been reported so far. Sporadic clashes also broke out this morning, the 27th of July 2017, between the regime forces and their allied militiamen on one hand and Al-Rahman Corps on the other in Al-Tayba and Arfa areas in Jobar neighborhood, located east of Damascus. Simultaneously, clashes broke out between both parties in an area in Ein Tarma Valley. These are considered the first clashes documented in the east of Damascus. The SOHR also documented that the regime forces fired a missile, believed to be ground-to-ground, on an area at the outskirts of Jobar neighborhood, followed by 4 mortar shells on other areas there. They also fired two shells at the outskirts of Hazza town located in the Eastern Ghouta. However, no casualties were reported. Several shells were also dropped on areas in Al-Assad neighborhood, near the regime-controlled Harasta city in the Eastern Ghouta, causing material damages. The SOHR also documented the fall of two mortar shells on areas in the vicinity of Al-Abbasiyyin square at the eastern outskirts of Damascus. Likewise, no casualties were reported. The shelling was accompanied by the firing of several explosive bullets on areas in Al-Qaimariya and Bab Touma neighborhoods, in downtown Damascus. The SOHR also learned that an aid convoy is expected to reach the Eastern Ghouta, which has been besieged by the regime forces and their allied militiamen since 2013. This comes after the entry of 3 trucks loaded with food and medical supplies to areas controlled by Jaysh Al-Islam at the outskirts of the Eastern Ghouta the day before yesterday, the 25th of July 2017.