The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Death toll continues to rise in the Eastern Ghouta and reach about 160 civilian casualties within 12 days of escalation of raids and missile and artillery shelling

Rif Dimashq Province, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights: The number of persons who were killed in the Eastern Ghouta continues to rise, because of the death of more citizens affected by wounds they had in the aerial and ground shelling that targeted cities and town of the Eastern Ghouta, raising to at least 27, the number of people who were killed and documented by the SOHR today, they are 7 citizens including a child were killed in shelling by the regime forces on areas in Douma city, and one of them was decapitated due the shelling, a man was killed in shelling by warplanes on areas in Harasta city, 16 citizens including 8 children and 5 women were killed in airstrikes on areas in Harasta city, and 3 citizens including 2 children were killed in airstrikes on areas in Saqba city, while the death toll is expected to increase due to the presence of 70 injured people, some of them are in serious conditions, and with more citizens dying, the total death toll has increased to 157 citizens including 41 children and 33 citizen women, since the 29th of December 2017 and until Tuesday the 8th of January 2018, and the casualties are 115 citizens including 35 children, 27 citizen women and a male nurse, they were killed in raids by the warplanes on areas in Harasta city controlled by the Islamic movement of Ahrar Al-Sham and raids on Madyara town, and 42 citizens including 6 children and 6 citizen women and 2 male nurses were killed by artillery and rocket shelling targeted areas in Beit Sawa town, the cities of Harasta, Hamuriya, Douma and Arbin as well as the towns of Kafr Batna, Mesraba, Al-Nashabiyah and Otaya, and the aerial and artillery shelling left tens of casualties and wounded included a large number of children and citizen women, and the number of casualties may increase because of the presence of serious injuries.

This intense bombardment continues every day killing and wounding tens of people, along with the growing tragedy of the trapped citizens, in conjunction with deterioration of the humanitarian conditions in the Eastern Ghouta, which is suffering a poor humanitarian conditions amid a poor health situation, with a significant decline in the ability of medical personnel to meet the medical needs of the trapped people in the Eastern Ghouta, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitored shelling by 7 missiles believed to be ground-to-ground launched by the regime forces and targeted areas in Arbin city, which is controlled by Rahman Corps in the Eastern Ghouta, also the violent clashes renewed between the regime forces and militiamen loyal to them against fighters of Hayyaat Tahrir Al-Sham and the Islamic movement of Ahrar Al-Sham in areas at the outskirts of Harasta city and its surroundings, amid intense exchange of targeting in the clash areas between both parties, while the regime forces shelled areas at the outskirts of Arbin city and Harasta city by 10 artillery shells, which caused more material damage.