Hundreds Killed in Three Days of Fighting in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta

Hospitals overrun as heavy bombardment continues

The rebel-held Damascus suburb of Eastern Ghouta continues to get pounded by Syrian forces, while the rebels have launched intermittent shelling hitting targets in the capital city. The death toll continues to rise.

Over the past 72 hours, at least 310 have been killed in the area, with over 1,500 wounded. The wounded include over 700 in dire need of treatment, which naturally overwhelmed the hospitals in the area.

The UN, and aid groups are pushing for a ceasefire on humanitarian grounds, as the situation continues to worsen, and civilians desperately need to be evacuated from some of the most heavily targeted areas.

Getting aid into Eastern Ghouta also needs to be a priority, with a substantial convoy arriving last week and raising hopes for a new influx, but the recent flurry of strikes meaning more convoys simply can’t safely get in.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.