The regime forces carry out an attack to pressure the factions of the Eastern Qalamoun Mountains along with continuous aerial bombardments

Rif Dimashq Province, the Syrian Observatory for human rights: the Syrian Observatory monitored the warplanes carrying out more raids in conjunction with constant shelling by barrel bombs by helicopters, amid violent clashes between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them against factions of the Eastern Qalamoun Mountains, as a result of an attack by the regime forces in an attempt to advancement at the expense of the factions; and separating al-Rahiba town –in which a process of reaching a “reconciliation and settlement” agreement is taking place– from the eastern Qalamoun Mountains, where the latter is witnessing pressure by the regime forces to push them to join the Eastern Qalamoun agreement, which is supposed to reach its final form tomorrow as well as identifying the destination, and confirmed information about casualties from the shelling by the regime forces and the exchange of targeting.

During the past few hours the Syrian Observatory published that this intensive bombardment comes as an attempt by the regime forces to pressure even more on the factions in the area, to force them agree to negotiate about the mountains of the Eastern Qalamoun, and reach a solution about them like their predecessors, and it is also coincided with reaching a new agreement by the both parties in the Eastern Qalamoun amid continuation of the debate about points that were raised at the meeting that was held on Tuesday the 17th of April 2018, where the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored both parties discussing points about the remaining of those who want their situations to be settled, the exit of those who reject the agreement towards a destination that will be agreed upon, on condition that the regime forces are prevented to enter and ensuring the safety of the remaining people and informing armed committees to control the security inside the city, the departure of the fighters who refuse the agreement towards the mountains of the Eastern Qalamoun, discussing the file of the detainees held at the regime’s jails, providing services for the cities and towns included within the agreement and reactivating the governmental institutions of the regime, giving a time limit for those who are of the compulsory service age, forming a committee to supervise on implementing the agreement and preventing provocations, where it is expected that a meeting will take place on the coming Thursday to reach a final solution.