Syrian Coalition: Genocide is Taking Place in Eastern Ghouta

Press release

Syrian Coalition

Media Department

March 6, 2018

Dozens of civilians are being killed and wounded in the Damascus suburb of eastern Ghouta on a daily basis in aerial and artillery bombardment by the Assad regime Russian occupation forces.

Over the past few hours, the Russian and Assad regime forces committed many massacres in the towns of Jisreen, Saqba, Hammouriya, Douma, Miasraba, Kafarbatna, Asha'ari, Beit Sawa, Harasta, Arbeen, Shifouniya and Jobar. This clearly shows that the besieged eastern Ghouta is targeted in its entirety. The brutal onslaught is aimed at exterminating all residents of eastern Ghouta or forcing to leave. It is imperative, therefore, that the international community shoulder its responsibilities as eastern Ghouta is currently being subjected to a genocidal campaign by Russia, the Assad regime, and the Iranian-backed militias.

On Sunday (March 4), at least 52 civilians were killed in eastern Ghouta, including many women and children. The victims included 31 civilians who were killed in the town of Douma. On Monday, 21 people were killed, including 11 in the town of Jisreen, four in Harasta and three in Saqba as of the afternoon. This has brought the total number of casualties since the start of the recent military campaign against civilians in besieged eastern Ghouta to more than 700 people killed.

Residents of eastern Ghouta have been enduring years-long suffering as a result of the tightened siege imposed on them by the Assad regime and the Iranian militias. The siege constitutes a crime against humanity that is being committed right under the watchful eyes of the world. The suffering is being exacerbated by brutal aerial and artillery bombardment in which the air force of the Russian occupation is playing a major role.

Residents trapped in eastern Ghouta are under the constant threat of death by aerial and artillery bombardment. They are also suffering the consequences of the blockade, most notably hunger, disease, and total lack of services. The area was devastated by aerial and artillery bombardment. The suffering of civilians is unimaginable. They are issuing their last appeal for the international community to save them.

All international resolutions and all ceasefire agreements have so far fallen on deaf ears as they continue to be breached and met with total disregard. They are even being exploited to ease the diplomatic and political pressure, albeit insufficient, and step up the onslaught and commit more massacres.

As many as 400,000 civilians have been trapped in eastern Ghouta for years and are subjected to daily killings. Photos of the bodies of dead children that were shrouded in cloth bearing the United Nations logo must be more than enough to reflect the current reality of civilians. These photos must compel the international community to assume its responsibility and work on putting an immediate end to the genocide against residents of eastern Ghouta.

We reiterate that Russia is a key party to the conflict and bears direct responsibility for the war crimes being committed in Syria. Russia, along with all criminals from all sides, must be held accountable.

The Syrian Coalition renews its calls on the international community to shoulder its responsibilities towards Syrian civilians. It is high time that the UN Security Council overcome the continued Russian obstruction and take urgent measures to put an end to the ongoing genocide in eastern Ghouta before it is too late.