New Delhi: Russia has made it clear to the U.N. Security Council, European and U.S. officials, who were endorsing the complete cease-fire in Syria for 30 days, that it isn’t ready to implement a cease-fire in the region.
Constant attacks by Syrian government forces and their allies have wreaked havoc in the war-torn region. The United States urged Russia to use its impact to secure an instant full-fledged cessation to the heavy bombardments of the seven-year war, which has resulted in the killing of hundreds.
Foreign Minister of Russia, Sergei Lavrov stated that there would be no quick end to the attacks on the eastern Ghouta or in Idlib Province, because Moscow had been supporting the Syrian Government in bomb raids, therefore there must be cease-fire from all the sides.
The two main rebel groups which have a presence in the eastern Ghouta are Jaish al-Islam and Failaq al- Rahman. Also, some presence of Tahrir al-Sham, an alliance of jihadists including Nusra, can be seen in the region. Whereas, in Idlib, two groups named Ahrar al-Sham and Tahrir al-Sham have been fighting with each other.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva and asked for enactment of the ceasefire in the eastern Ghouta. On the other hand Vladimir Putin, President of Russia said that there will be a daily truce from 9am to 2pm local time. In that time period, civilians will have to evacuate eastern Ghouta and the neighboring areas. The head of the Russian Peace and Reconciliation Center in Syria, Major-General Yuri Yevtushenko stated the measures were taken in agreement with Syrian forces, and these measures were planned to help civilians to allow them to leave and evacuate the area.
A U.N. Humanitarian spokesperson in Damascus, Linda Tom said that the resolution of the cease-fire by the Council must be fully implemented, so that the U.N. and its associates can deliver humanitarian help to those who are in need, particularly in the eastern Ghouta region.
In a series of tweet, State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert opposed the attitude of the Syrian government and its allies towards the civilians and continuous attacks in Damascus, despite of the cease-fire called by the U.N. Security Council.
A decision of cease-fire which was taken by the Council has been ignored by the Syrian government as the attacks done by it continue to target eastern Ghouta. Recent reports suggest that the Syrian regime used chlorine gas. Russia denied the allegation that troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were behind the suspected chlorine gas attack. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the claims were a bid to disrupt a ceasefire in the area, which has been under a Syrian regime siege since 2013.
Due to rebel shelling, there have been more than 30 deaths and a number of injuries in rural areas of Damascus, in last few days. Peter Salama, the Deputy Director General of the World Health Organization, mentioned that the WHO immediately needs to evacuate 750 medical cases from eastern Ghouta also continual access for medical equipment and for medicines and other commodities should be given.
