Under the command of Russian military advisers… more than 3 km separate the regime forces and their allies from dividing the Eastern Ghouta into two sections north and south
Almost complete displacement from the towns of Mesraba, Al-Ash’ari and Beit Sawa to areas away from the battle fronts with the regime’s advancement deep into the besieged Ghouta
The Eastern Ghouta of Damascus is witnessing ongoing attack by the regime forces and their allies of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored that this attack headed towards the depth of the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, in an attempt by theses forces to advance in the area, and reach the Vehicle Department located in the triangle of Harasta – Madyara – Arbin, in which about 3 km separate the regime forces from reaching it, as there are no residential areas separate the regime forces from the Vehicle Department, except Mesraba town which most of its residents displaced from, as a result of approaching the military operations, and if the regime forces managed to control it, then they will impose their firearm control over Madyara town which is adjacent the Vehicle Department and will be able to advance in the area and reach the regime forces located in the Vehicle Department, and in the case of achieving such advancement, it will divide the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus into 2 sections, the first is northern one and includes the towns of Douma and Harasta and Al-Rihan farms, while the other on is northern and includes the towns and the cities of Arbin, Zamalka, Hamouriyah, Saqba, Hazza, Kafr Batna, Ein Tarma, Muhammedia and Aftries, after the regime forces managed since they started their attack on the 25th of February 2018, to take the control of Nashabiyah, Hazrama, Hosh Al-Dawahra, Hosh Al-Zriqiyyeh, Tallat Farzat, Al-Shifonyyah, parts of Al-Rihan farms and the Air Defense Regiment and the Regiment 274, reaching Beit Sawa Farms and Al-Ash’ari Farms and reaching the eastern outskirts of Hosh Qubayat and Muhammedia in the eastern and the south-eastern countryside of the besieged Ghouta of Damascus, thus, the regime forces have controlled more than 35% of the total area of the Eastern Ghouta of Damascus.
And several reliable sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that the Russian forces participate with soldiers, officers and military advisers, in the Eastern Ghouta’s operation, in the side of the regime forces backed by armed militiamen loyal to them of Syrian, Arab and Asian nationalities, which aim to control the entire Eastern Ghouta of Damascus, and to finish the control of the factions over it, where the forces of the Brigadier in the regime forces Suhail Al-Hassan withdrew from the eastern and the south-eastern sections of Idlib countryside few weeks ago, to head this operation with Russian soldiers and advisers.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored massiv and continuous displacement from the besieged Eastern Ghouta, as a result of the intensive and ongoing shelling by the regime forces and the warplanes and helicopters on the Eastern Ghouta, where Mesraba town which is located on the main advancement line of the regime forces between the Eastern Ghouta and the Vehicle Department, became almost empty of citizens and also Beit Sawa and Al-Ash’ari towns witnessed almost complete displacement of their residents, while other areas in the Eastern Ghouta witnessed during the past 48 hours, massive displacement towards Douma and other areas in the Eastern Ghouta, while the violent clashes resulted in the fall of more human losses in the ranks of the both parties, raising to 85 at least including several officers and a local commander in the “Tiger’s” forces, the number of the members of the regime forces and gunmen loyal to them whose death has been documented by the Syrian Observatory until now during the clashes of the Eastern Ghouta, the SOHR also documented the death of 61 fighters at least of Jaysh Al-Islam who have been killed since the 25th of February 2018, until now.