A wounded child cries as he receives treatment after Assad Regime forces attacked to the de-conflict zone Sabqa city of Damascus, at a hospital in the Eastern Ghouta region of Damascus, Syria on October 29, 2017. Samir Tatin - AA
DAMASCUS, Syria: At least 11 civilians were killed during Syrian regime’s attacks on a suburb of Damascus’ Eastern Ghouta on Sunday, according to a pro-opposition civil defense official.
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Mahmud Adham said regime forces shelled the towns of Hamouriyah, Sabqa and Kafra Batna in East Ghouta, killing 11 people, including an activist.
Adham also said two students were injured by mortar shelling at a school in Kafra Batna.
Yusuf al-Bustani, a member of Local Coordination Comities in Eastern Ghouta, said the regime attacks targeted the towns of Sabqa, Hamouriyah and Kafra Batna in Eastern Ghouta.
“Regime forces attempted to sneak into Ain Tarma and Jobar suburbs in Damascus but opposition group repelled the attempts,” al-Bustani said.
Al-Bustan warned that a humanitarian catastrophe was unfolding in the regime-blockaded Eastern Ghouta.
“The regime uses starvation as a weapon against civilians as it had done in al-Yarmouk refugee camp, Madaya and al-Zabadani,” he said.
Blockaded by the Assad regime since 2012, Eastern Ghouta region is home to around 400,000 civilians.
Eastern Ghouta falls within "de-escalation zones" identified by Turkey, Russia and Iran as a part of peace talks in Kazakhstan's capital Astana in May.
On July 22, Russia announced cease-fire in the Eastern Ghouta; however, the regime’s attacks have been underway without hiatus.
