Dozens of civilians were killed Friday in Eastern Ghouta when an orderly evacuation deal in the city of Douma, the last rebel-held city collapsed overnight, and the Syrian military responded with a new offensive against the area.
The first indication of a problem was that, after several successful days, the evacuation buses into Douma returned Thursday empty. Reports suggest the Jaish al-Islam rebels remaining in the city are increasingly split on the question of evacuating.
Syria’s military appeared unwilling to go back to their ultimatum to demand an evacuation, and just attacked outright. At least 36 were killed, and 40 according to some reports, as airstrikes and ground forces advanced on the city.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claims 14,000 rebel fighters left in the city. It seems such fighters are not going to be able to prevent the military retaking the city, especially with the rest of the area having fallen.
The DAESH probably just forgot their transit passes.
Civilians might not mind a bus ride out, though. A little break from the monotony of human shielding would probably do wonders for morale.
Hmmm…Trump appoints John Bolton, and immediately Assad, who continues to have an upper hand in the civil war against the rebels, launches a chemical attack to incur the wrath of the whole world?
And that too at a time when Trump is suggesting that US withdraws from Syria?
Assad is amazingly stupid, isn’t it? /s
Its that facial hair bug ME males have; Assad just couldn’t resist tweaking Bolton’s moustache and it totally threw off his game.
Such a brilliantly devious cultural exploit; probably Melania’s idea.