Militants impose curfew in Syria's Ghouta: Russia

(AhlulBayt News Agency) - Militants in Syria’s eastern Ghouta have imposed a curfew in areas under their control to prevent civilians from leaving through a humanitarian corridor while a truce is in place, Interfax news agency reported, citing Russian military.

The militants have also banned mass gatherings of civilians, Interfax quoted Russian Major-General Vladimir Zolotukhin as saying on Sunday.

Russia has designated four safe passage routes in Eastern Ghouta after a ceasefire was declared across Syria by the United Nations Security Council.

On Saturday, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and Syria’s Ambassador to Moscow Riyad Haddad discussed the ceasefire and its violation by the militants and their shelling of Damascus.

The Syrian government and Russia said terrorists fired 65 mortar shells at the capital and its surroundings in the day.

The state news agency SANA said the projectiles hit the al-Bairouni Hospital’s vicinity, the al-Assad neighborhood, and the al-Qemariya neighborhood in the capital’s Old City. According to the report, 49 of the shells were fired at residential structures.

The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed the report, saying terrorists also opened sniper fire at the safe corridor, marked out by Moscow in Eastern Ghouta for evacuation of civilians.

Terrorists are using Eastern Ghouta as a launchpad for near-daily attacks on the capital. The Syrian army is currently in the midst of an operation to drive them out of the enclave, but it is facing a hostile West which is threatening airstrikes to stop the push.

Western leaders were quick to point the finger at the Syrian government after reports of chlorine release in Eastern Ghouta last week.

On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron and his US counterpart Donald Trump vowed there would be "no impunity" in the event of further chemical weapons use in Syria.



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