As part of the escalation in the Eastern Ghouta … the regime forces target Jaysh Al-Islam-controlled areas, killing and injuring 5 civilians

The SOHR learned that a civilian was killed as a result of the firing of shells by the regime forces on places in Doma city and at the outskirts of the Eastern Ghouta. The shelling also left 4 persons injured. In addition, the regime forces fired 4 shells on areas in Al-Shifoniyah town in the Eastern Ghouta. In the same context, the regime forces targeted last night areas in Ein Tarma in the Eastern Ghouta with more than 16 missiles, believed to be ground-to-ground, increasing the number of missiles with which the regime forces targeted Ein Tarma and Jobar since dawn yesterday till this moment to more than 66. Meanwhile, clashes continue, with a varied pace of violence, in areas in Ein Tarma valley and Jobar neighborhood between Al-Rahman Corps on one hand and the regime forces and their allied militiamen on the other. The SOHR published few hours ago that the violent clashes were renewed between Jaysh al-Islam against al-Rahman Corps in the area of al-Ahlam in the areas of al-Asha’ri and al-Aftris in the Eastern Ghouta, and there is no information about human losses so far, while it rose to 50, the number of missiles fired by the regime forces since early hours of today’s dawn until now on area in Ein Tarma Valley and its outskirts and the outskirts of Juber neighborhood east of the capital, and no information about causalities so far. This heavy shelling is accompanied by continued clashes between the regime forces and their allied militiamen against al-Rahman Corps in the area of Ein Tarma Valley and Juber neighborhood, amid shelling and an exchange of targeting and there is information that the regime forces managed to advance in Juber area.

The Syrian Observatory also published yesterday that the regime forces renewed their shelling after midnight and early this morning on areas east of Damascus and in the Eastern Ghouta. Specifically, they targeted areas in Ein Tarma and at the outskirts of the Eastern Ghouta and Jobar neighborhood, east of Damascus with at least 24 missiles, believed to be ground-to-ground. Clashes also broke out after midnight between the regime forces and their allied militiamen on one hand and Al-Rahman Corps on the other in areas in Ein Tarma Valley and Jobar neighborhood. Clashes were accompanied by an exchange of targeting. Casualties were reported at both sides. It is worth mentioning that the SOHR published yesterday that the regime forces renewed their shelling last night on areas in the Eastern Ghouta, targeting with more than 25 missiles, believed to be ground-to-ground, areas at the outskirts of Ein Tarma town in the Eastern Ghouta. No casualties were reported then. This shelling comes as part of the continued military operations carried out by the regime forces and their allied militiamen east of Damascus and in the Eastern Ghouta. Both areas are witnessing daily clashes between Al-Rahman Corps on one hand and the regime forces and their allied militiamen on the other. Clashes are accompanied by daily firing of tens of missiles, believed to be ground-to-ground, and tens of artillery and rocket shells along with mortar shells and using tank cannons, targeting Jobar and Ein Tarma along with other cities and towns in the Eastern Ghouta, causing civilian casualties.

The SOHR observed the displacement from Ein Tarma town and its surroundings towards the central sector of the Eastern Ghouta. The SHOR documented the displacement of around 2500 persons, around 600 families, from Ein Tarma town to ‘Arbin, Saqba, Hamoriya, Kafrbatna and Jesreen in the central sector of the Eastern Ghouta. The displacement of civilians came as a result of the escalation of shelling which began on the 15th of June 2017 and is still ongoing till today, the 13th of August 2017. The displacement started in the last third of late June and increased with the escalated shelling.

The SOHR also observed the deteriorating conditions of the displaced, who escaped from death and the intensive shelling. It was observed that there is a shortage in houses available for rent because hundreds of other families fled previously from regime-controlled towns and villages in the Eastern Ghouta to such areas or as a result of military operations taking place there between the regime forces and their allied militiamen and rebel and Islamic factions on the other.