Entire Eastern Ghouta Comes Under The Control Of Assad Government
The government forces of Syria have retaken the town of Douma which gives them full control of the former rebel-held enclave of Eastern Ghouta as per the Russian military official.
On Thursday, Syrian army pushed the last rebel fighters out of Douma, Major-General Yury Yevtushenko, chief of Russia’s Centre for Syrian Reconciliation, told local news media.
“Today, a landmark event in the history of the Syrian Arab Republic took place,” he was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency Sputnik.
“The state flag flown over a building … in the city of Douma marked the regained control over this settlement, and consequently over entire Eastern Ghouta.”
So far there has been no official statement from the Syrian government.
Russian news agency RIA reported that the Russian military police had been deployed on the ground to take over Douma’s security.
The fresh developments were reported only after Jaish al-Islam, the last remaining rebel group in Eastern Ghouta, reached a deal with Russia on Sunday due to which fighters would have to abandon Douma and head for an opposition-held area in northern Syria.
The agreement also included a ceasefire and the evacuation of fighters and civilians from the area.
According to the deal, no one is allowed except Russian military police. Even Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was also not allowed to enter Douma after the evacuation.
As soon as the Russian military police enter the city, crossing points will be opened to commercial movement.
The deal also makes it sure that the pro-government prisoners held in Douma are released.
The agreement deal was made a day after a suspected chemical attack killed not less than 80 people and affected hundreds of other Douma residents.
Since 2013, eastern Ghouta has been under government siege as part of its so-called “siege and starvation” tactics.
Zena Khodr reporting from Beirut of Lebanon, said: “This is no doubt a victory for the pro-government alliance because Eastern Ghouta has long been a thorn in the side of the government, right at the doorstep of the capital, Damascus, the government’s seat of power.”
Pro-regime media outlets are saying that the government forces are already planning their next steps, she said.
“There are territories and districts that are under the control of ISIL [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group], and what we understand is that the pro-government alliance is going to focus on those districts to clear them from ISIL fighters in order to consolidate control of the capital and to put the government in a very comfortable position with help from its allies, Russia and Iran.”
Douma and Eastern Ghouta have come under heavy ground and aerial bombardment by Syrian government forces in recent weeks.