‘OPPOSITION’ SNIPERS HAUNTING CIVILIANS ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE EASTERN GHOUTA

Snipers of the so-called moderate opposition are haunting civilians attempting to leave the besieged region of Eastern Ghouta via humanitarian corridors established by Syrian and Russian forces.

“[The] situation near the check point is still strained. Since yesterday evening, snipers have been shelling at approaches to the check point. Today, the Jaysh al-Islam terrorists have carried out two mortar attacks from eastern outskirts of Douma targeting the security corridor leading to the check point near Muhayam al-Waffedin,” spokesman for the Russian center for Syrian reconciliation Maj. Gen. Yury Yevtushenko said on March 2.

Eastern Ghouta residents are informed about the opened humanitarian corridors via leaflets and other means, but they are not able to use them actively because of constant attacks by militants.

Daily humanitarian pauses started in Eastern Ghouta from 9:00 till 14:00 local time in late February. Since then, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Jaish al-Islam, Ahrar al-Sham and other militant groups have been fiercely attempting to prevent civilians from using these pauses to leave the miltiant-held part of Eastern Ghouta. The so-called opposition just uses the local population as hostages.

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