By Adham Kako
ANKARA (AA) – The Bashar al-Assad regime and its supporters killed 1,433 civilians from Feb.19 to March 23 during airstrikes in Eastern Ghouta, a Damascus suburb, Syrian Civil Defense said on Tuesday.
The fatalities included 291 children and 223 women, according to a report by White Helmets civil defense group released on its social media account.
The regime carried out airstrikes with support from Russia and Iran, the report said.
Additionally, 3,607 civilians, including 975 children and 790 women, were wounded in these attacks.
The regime and its supporters began airstrikes on Feb. 19 to seize parts of the Damascus suburb controlled by opposition forces.
Since then, 3,294 airstrikes were carried out in Eastern Ghouta by the Assad regime and Russian warplanes, according to the report.
The report added that additionally 8,070 artillery fire attacks, 1,615 rocket attacks and 1,213 barrel bomb attacks were carried out in Eastern Ghouta.
In the same period, 10 toxic gas attacks hit civilians in the Damascus suburb.
– Evacuation continues
More than 18,000 people — including opposition fighters and their families — have so far been evacuated from Eastern Ghouta.
The evacuations, which started last Thursday, come as part of a Russia-brokered deal between the Syrian regime and the armed opposition groups.
The first and second convoys evacuated people from the town of Harasta in the besieged district. Evacuations also included the towns of Arbin, Zamalka, and Ein Tarma in the besieged region while town of Duma is not part of the deal so far.
In late February, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution for cease-fire in Syria — especially in Eastern Ghouta — to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid.
Despite the cease-fire resolution, the regime and its allies earlier this month launched a major ground offensive — backed by Russian air power — aimed at capturing opposition-held parts of the district.
Since Feb. 19, more than 1,000 people have reportedly been killed in attacks by the regime and its allies in Eastern Ghouta.
Home to some 400,000 civilian residents, the district has remained under a crippling regime siege for the last five years that has prevented the delivery of badly-needed humanitarian supplies.
